How to Build up to a Handstand
So you want to learn how to do a handstand? Good, you have come to the right place to get started.
One of the most important aspects of learning the handstand is body positioning. That’s getting your body into a stiff form that makes the balancing way easier. The right way to train how to try this is to do a handstand against the wall first. While not having to stress about the balance you can train the body position easily.
You will want to get about 8-12 inches from the wall. Place your hands down on the ground shoulder width apart. To get into the handstand you’ll need to kick up. This implies beginning in a sprinter’s stance, as if you’re ready to start running. But instead you will kick one leg up high. When that leg comes near to the wall the other leg will also come up to meet it.
Here is an important point. You have to be sure to keep your arms locked out at all times. This makes your weight supported by your bone structure, rather then counting on your muscles which can tire out fast. That is not what you want, so lock those arms.
In addition, you wish to keep your body tight. This implies squeezing your glutes and legs together. Its best to point the toes. This isn’t just to look awesome but helps maintain the tightness too. And when you do any handstand training you’ll want to be sure to breathe. When you start out its straightforward to stop breathing as you aim for the right position. But learn how to relax enough and breathe.
My advice is that you learn to hold a handstand against the wall for a minimum of thirty seconds before you try doing it out in the open. There are numerous other steps and technqiues you’ll want to practice before you do that too.
You can use the wall but then bring your feet off simply a couple inches as you struggle for balance there. When you’re starting you will only manage a few seconds. Just keep on training and you may improve.
Todd Ludgren writes for Lost Art of Hand Balancing where you’ll be able to find much more about handstand tips as well as all kinds of acrobatics. Check out this article on how to do handstand pushups.
