HOW TO DO A HEADSTAND
Unless you were a gymnast or some sort of acrobat, trying a handstand for the first time as an adult may be somewhat scary. And by scary, we also mean fun. You’re literally upside – how cool is that?But just like anything else, it takes practice and once you start to see results, you always want to up your game. Be prepared to flop around and fall when trying a freestanding handstand, even once your A game is there. Just like with boxing or weight training, it’s also all. about. form.
Start training today for a better handstand tomorrow.
SQUEEZE GLUTES
When starting off into a headstand, begin by squeezing glutes for the entirety of the handstand. Think about activating your glute muscles before kicking and really getting the most out of that squeeze. Squeezing the glutes is probably one of the most difficult components of handstand form for people to comprehend. It’s difficult to focus on something like that, especially when you’re upside down and trying to keep yourself from falling.
ABS TIGHT
Keep them abs tucked and tight during the entire handstand. The ideal position is a slight hollow body one, with a flat back and abs tight. If you think your abs can’t be any tighter, they can be. This will help you keep upright and stay in good form rather than arching your back.
PUSH THROUGH SHOULDERS
When you kick into a handstand, you should immediately push through your shoulders. The key is to think about pushing your arms away from the ground and keeping that body long. This will prevent you from collpasing into your shoulders. Not going to lie – it feels weird at first.
GLUE YOUR ARMS
When you kick up into a headstand, squeeze your glute and lock your arms straight by your ears. Keep your arms glued there. This helps keep that nice solid line from the ground to your toes. Many people have a tough time keeping their arms straight and this helps keep them where they are supposed to be.
If the position feels strange, walk around with your arms straight and glued to your ears for a few minutes. You may want to make sure you’re in private when doing this or you may get some strange looks. It’s okay – they aren’t trying to get an awesome handstand like you!
KEEP YOUR LEGS TIGHT
There are certainly different styles of handstands, the one we want to focus on is the tightest and straightest handstand with on point form. The upper and lower body are both extremely important in making this happen. Keep your legs as close together as possible. If someone wanted to pull them apart, they shouldn’t be able to.
POINT TOES
When your legs are so tight that they can’t be pulled apart, you want to avoid any flopping around. In true gymnastic and acrobatic form, you should aim to point your toes when doing your handstands. This will help activate all the right muscles in your legs and ensure that you have the strongest and straight line possible.
BE AWARE
It feels most natural to look down at your hand when doing a handstand. It can throw off balance and make it easier to fall. Try to aim your eyes slightly down and behind you. Sometimes it helps if you put some objects a few feet behind you, so you have something to look at.
YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS… GO PRACTICE!
