Handstand shape

[Gymfan]

Any advice for DD to fix her overly archy handstand? None of the compulsory coaches ever seem to bother to correct her shape and in fact, seem to reinforce some bad habits with handstand hold and walk contests where form goes out the window to stay up the longest. It wasn't until she started uptraining with the optional coaches that she realized she was doing wrong all these years.

 

[GymCoach11]

I think it's down to partly core muscles and body positioning awareness. Handstands against the wall are great for this- trying to get her to press her back into the wall- when she hits handstand against the wall initially there probably will be an obvious gap for her to try and "squash" with her back! Make sure that her arms are right by her ears and her head does not stick out like a turtle, she should just be able to see her fingertips nothing else- a sticky out head will instantly cause an archy back!
Although you don't say how old she is this is more common in younger gymnasts

 

[Deleted member D3987]

practice them stomach facing the wall and tell her to make the shape of a spoon.

 

[skschlag]

My son has this issue. He does handstands facing the wall with nose and chest touching the wall. I think he has to have his toes on the wall too, or something. I will ask him. Mostly, the word "hollow" is used a LOT around here. He has such a natural arch in his back that he has to work to get rid of it.

 

[Kiwi]

Keeping head in and shoulders pushed all the way up to the ears helps.

 

[gymnastbeth]

Keeping head in and shoulders pushed all the way up to the ears helps.

Adding to this, make sure the head isn't popped out, it should be tucked in line and the gymnast should be looking at their hands or something slightly behind them.

 

[iwannacoach]

I teach this handstand shape by relating it to good upright posture, and that same posture turned upside down will be what their bodies are used to. This allows them to quickly understand the basic position, and it's relevence to the skill.
The only thing new to them is the shoulder and arm position, which is also taught in the upright position, it just seems that kids hear better when they're standing vs. inverted.

After a few attempts, and sometimes a few lessons, I show them how to fine tune their inverted posture to get and stay slightly hollow. I feel this really speeds up their learning on this skill, and I use that learning to reinforce the concept that gymnastics is easier if done, when possible, in positions that are "body friendly".

 

[Galadriel]

coach has them face to wall and i hear a lot of 'no neck, no ears'

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