My student Dennis, Olympic medalist in wrestling, demonstrates in this short movie. Click the arrow to watch the movie:
- Stand with your back about a foot in front of a wall, and crouch to put your hands on the floor (avoid slippery surface)
- Put one foot high up on the wall, then lift the other foot up too
- To get down, step one foot back down, then the other
Keep breathing. Smile. Relax. Send in your own photos of trying this. Be safe and have fun.
More Encouragement:
- See step by step still photos and more explanation - Fast Fitness - Easy Handstand where David from Belgium shows the handstand plus how to add a nice overhead hamstring stretch.
- Reader Liz tells how to start - Wall Handstand Success With Liz
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Read success stories and send your own.
See if your answers are already here - click Fitness Fixer labels, links, archives, and Index.
For personal medical questions - Replies to Medical Questions.
Limited Class space for personal feedback. Top students may earn certification through DrBookspan.com/Academy. More fun in Dr. Bookspan's Books.
Read success stories and send your own.
See if your answers are already here - click Fitness Fixer labels, links, archives, and Index.
For personal medical questions - Replies to Medical Questions.
Limited Class space for personal feedback. Top students may earn certification through DrBookspan.com/Academy. More fun in Dr. Bookspan's Books.
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Movie © copyright Dr. Jolie Bookspan
My Yoga teachers uses that, but you hold you legs at a right degree angle to the floor.
ReplyDeleteIt forces your back to be straight. Seems to me it sets you up for more shoulder action.
I don't think I'll ever be able to do a handstand without the wall.
Two questions...
ReplyDelete1. What is your take on doing dips? Not talking about dipping off a chair behind you with limited ROM, but regular dips, facing a kitchen counter corner or between parallel bars?
2. Since reading your book, I don't want to repeat my faulty patterns when picking up a 45 lb dumbbell from the floor, so not sticking out butt as you admonish. Should I still try to be as vertical (back) as possible with only a small arch, even when picking up a heavy object (vs. a bodyweight squat without external load.)? Thank you... Dave
Ginger, holding the legs at a right angle does not "force" anyone's back to do anything. I have seen many students hold their back rounded (or overarched) regardless of the angle of the legs and hip. Holding the legs at a right angle does not train you to hold your body straight the way you need for simple standing, walking, running, and any movement using neutral spine. In other words, it is not functional. It does not transfer knowledge, strength, or function to real life. My work is to restore and train better function.
ReplyDeleteThe same applies to the shoulder. You control it yourself using your own muscles.
Practice until you can do the handstand without the wall. Like anything else, you will get better with work.
A post on all this, with photos - Using a Handstand for More Than an Exercise - Real Life.