Gymnastic Handstand

Gymnastic Handstand

In this lesson you will learn how to do a gymnastic handstand. The handstand is the most important gymnastics skill and is essential for almost all sub-sequent techniques. (not just for the floor exercise) Why is the handstand so important? The handstand gives you a feeling of balance and fully extended postures. At the same time it strengthens the entire body. Practice your handstand at the beginning of every single gymnastics workout. Find more gymnastics tutorials at gymnastics main.

Description: How to do a Gymnastic Handstand

  • Lift your arms and extend your body so that your finger tips are as high as possible. Knees and arms fully extended. Look straight forward and don't bend your head back or down. Abs contracted slightly. It's better to round the back slightly than to hollow it. If you round your back a bit, it should not be notable. Arms, trunk and legs should form a perfect vertical line. (shoulders touch ears) The same posture has to be maintained when you are upside down.
  • Lift your left leg, but don't move any other body part. Legs and arms totally extended. Also extend the ankle of your left leg.
    Note:
    • When a foot leaves the floor, the ankle has to be extended immediately. (this is a rule for almost all gymnastics skills)
    • The right leg, the upper body and the arms have to stay in one line all the time. (when you go into the handstand and also when you come back down)
  • Lean forward - Step forward with the left leg. While you move towards the floor, the arms, the trunk and the right leg have to maintain the perfect straight line. So keep the distance from the right foot to the finger tips as long as possible. When the left leg touches the floor, you can bend the knee a bit. (but try not to bend the knee much)
  • Put your hands on the floor and make sure your arms, your trunk and the right leg are still lined up. The distance from where you start to where your hands touch the floor should be an entire body length, including extended arms. Many beginners make the mistake to reach for the floor too close.
  • Let your body swing up and bring the left foot next to the right foot. Don't forget that the right leg, the trunk and the arms move as one unit. So you can only move the left leg from the hip. And also make sure legs, arms and ankles stay totally extended. (don't hollow your back - don't bend knees or elbows - keep your abs tight)
  • As you might remember, at the beginning you had to push up your finger tips as high as possible, so that the distance between hands and feet becomes as great as possible. Now it's the same... only that you are upside down... Extend arms and legs totally. Also extend you ankles as far as you can and push up the tips of your toes as high as possible. Push up your body with your shoulders and stay in a perfect vertical line. Contract your abs slightly. Don't hollow your back. Your back can be slightly rounded, but it should not be notable. Don't bend your head back so that you can see the floor better. (not when you practice a basic handstand) Keep your spine vertical and your head straight. You can look down to the floor with the eyes, but you should also be able to look up to your feet without bending the head. Try to keep your shoulders on the ears.
  • To balance the handstand you can only use the hands (forearm strength) Now the entire body (arms, upper body and legs) have to be totally stiff. So don't try to balance the handstand by bending limbs. (that's just bad form and will not lead to anything) If you feel you will fall forward, release pressure from your finger tips. If you feel you will tip over, push down your finger tips harder.
  • Separate your legs again and move your left foot towards the floor. The right leg, the trunk and the arms stay lined up as you go back down.
  • At the end you should stand on the same spot where you started from. Legs, upper body and arms are still lined up. Look straight forward and push up your finger tips. See beginning position.

Trainer advice: How to do a Gymnastic Handstand

  • Note: The left leg is lifted at the end and goes down first. So for the left leg the handstand is shorter.
  • At the beginning just try to stand on your hands. No matter how. You will not be able to do a perfect handstand like explained here right away. Especially keeping the legs and the head straight is difficult for beginners.
  • Balancing exercises:
    • When you are in a handstand, try to look up to your toes for a few seconds.
      (without bending the head)
    • Or try to balance the handstand with closed eyes for a moment.

Related instructions: How to do a Gymnastic Handstand


Videos: How to do a Gymnastic Handstand

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