Handstands

[marie83]

My gymnasts cannot handstand!

We had a competition a couple of weekends ago and they had to do range and conditioning. They really struggled to hold both a split and normal handstand for 2 (yes, just 2) seconds. They are very hit and miss in practice and it is something I am working on constantly, but they just don't seem to get any better. One or 2 can hold them for up to 5 seconds, but that is nothing! I can hold them consistently for about 20 seconds and I'm much older and heavier and less conditioned than them!!!

One of our coaches was talking to a coach from another club at the comp and she said her girls do 1 hour of handstand conditioning each session and that she would send us a copy of what they do, but this hasn't materialised yet!

So,my question to you is, what handstand conditioning could we do?

We already do a lot of handstand holds against the wall, focusing on good technique and having the gymnasts take their feet off the wall to try and balance. We do handstand holds with partners and they work on some form of handstand on every apparatus, and they just don't seem to be improving. We just don't know what else to do!

 

[mustlovejumping]

I am not a coach but I saw in a video somewhere to start with handstands with stomach against the wall, and then slowly remove support from the body starting with the feet. I have been working on them with a block where you start laying on the block and then put your hands on the floor so that your arms are right against the block and then kick up to handstand. This way you have to focus on balancing with the lower body but your upper body is still supported. The idea is that you keep lowering whatever is supporting the upper body until they can eventually do it with just the wrists supported. It has definitely helped me a lot so hopefully I've explained it well enough! I want to say the video I saw it in was a workout wednesday video on gymnastike with the CGA TOPs team.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

one of the best things you can do for handstands is to walk on your hands. forwards and backwards and sideways. over and over again. every day. dedicate time to do this. the payoff is what you'll be looking for.

 

[wallinbl]

one of the best things you can do for handstands is to walk on your hands. forwards and backwards and sideways. over and over again. every day. dedicate time to do this. the payoff is what you'll be looking for.

Is walking good, even if legs are floppy?

 

[marie83]

I am not a coach but I saw in a video somewhere to start with handstands with stomach against the wall, and then slowly remove support from the body starting with the feet. I have been working on them with a block where you start laying on the block and then put your hands on the floor so that your arms are right against the block and then kick up to handstand. This way you have to focus on balancing with the lower body but your upper body is still supported. The idea is that you keep lowering whatever is supporting the upper body until they can eventually do it with just the wrists supported. It has definitely helped me a lot so hopefully I've explained it well enough! I want to say the video I saw it in was a workout wednesday video on gymnastike with the CGA TOPs team.

Thanks, I understand what you mean! Sounds good to me! Just reminded me of a 'game' I used to play with the gymnasts when they were beginning - so thanks for that!

 

[marie83]

one of the best things you can do for handstands is to walk on your hands. forwards and backwards and sideways. over and over again. every day. dedicate time to do this. the payoff is what you'll be looking for.

They do quite a lot of walking - at least 3/4 practices each week. They struggle with going sideways, but forwards and backwards are getting better. I will start doing a bit more each practice as they really enjoy it!

 

[Galadriel]

just a parent ,,,,
coach used to say to ds when i saw their group and they werent great on the handstands...
he said that handstand was THE most important skill, and they should practice every single day at home - in the playground, at home, just try and do as many handstand hold practices as they could out of the gym. They had a hold the handstand comp every single practice and the times written on a whiteboard.
The ones who improved most each week were given little treats. They also did all the practicing in real gym club training.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Is walking good, even if legs are floppy?

yes, even if "floppy". this is how they distinguish what is correct and not. gymnasts can not be expected to learn correctly unless they also perform incorrectly so that they can 'feel' the difference. and the more walking, the better.

by the way, and before you might ask, once they look pretty strong doing this you add walking up and down things. like start with a panel mat unfolded in half. they walk up and walk down the other side. when they get good at this add a full panel mat and so forth.

 

[nevertooold]

Handstand contests on beam both cross and side.
Handstand contests on floor, standard, hs roll contest (winner is the last one to successfully roll down) hs bridge contest (winner last one to successfully bridge)
Handstand walking w/ skills, step kick lever hs walk 4 steps then roll for example, or back walkover stop in hs join legs 1/2 pirouette walk 4 steps front walkover out, just make things up that require control and balance in the hs position.
Handstand game where they partner up and make a 2 circles w/ partners facing each other, inside circle kicks to handstand while their partners in the outside circle catch and balance their legs, coach says switch and the outside girls move to the left letting go of one partner and grabbing and balancing the next girl in the circle, whoever falls is out plus the person who was supposed to catch them, keep going until only one handstander remains. (Make sure you teach them how to let go carefully and not push their partner as they are letting go)

 

[txgymfan]

Gymnstike had a workout that had the gymnasts walked on mats as an obstacle course.

 

[gasrgoose]

My daughter has never been good at holding handstands. Once she got better at walking on hands she started trying pirouettes, this seemed to really help her find her center of balance. Now she can press to handstand then pirouette then walk about ten feet then pirouette. I've never seen her walk up onto mats but I don't see her at practice very often and she does the other sequence at home for fun. She will probably get a chance to try to walk up onto mats since she fractured her toe and can't tumble for a week or two. And she'll be doing alot of bars!!

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Just a parent here but dd's gym does a handstand game that is a fun way to get handstand practice in. They partner up and stand facing their partner in a circle, pretty evenly spaced apart. The girl on the inside goes up to handstand and the other girl holds her feet.

Coach yells Go and the girls on the outside let go of their partner and run to the next girl and grab her legs. this continues around until they fall. It gets to the point where there are a couple of girls and they really have to hold the handstand, and their partner really has to run to get them before thye fall.

The other game/contest they do is like a handstand competition. They all start on the first line of the floor, and go up to handstand. The last one standing gets to move up to the next line on the floor. Once they make it all the way across they get to leave practice.

I think it's always nice to see them "playing with a purpose".

 

[pattymello]

Well if you want them to hold free standing handstands you need to look at their ability to control their handstands with their wrists and with their shoulders. Assuming they are holding their body with good posture if they lose balance towards their forward side they need to begin closing their shoulders and leaning them forward. This is the same motion they use during the last phase of a press. If they lose balance falling towards their back they need to open their shoulders and lean their shoulders towards the front of their body.

To develop these two actions I have my boys do handstands with their feet between the p-bars moving their feet from one bar to the othe by leaning their shoulders WITHOUT LOSING THE HOLLOW SHAPE OF THEIR CHEST. Pressing is very important in developing handstand control with the shoulders. Also with chest into the wall have them set their hands about a foot away from the wall. They walk their feet as high as possible and assume correct shape. Then learn shoulders forward and maintain correct shape until their feet begin to move away from the wall, balance for a second or two and lean on the wall again.

For developing control through the wrists parallets can be very good for learning to push and pull with their wrists.

For tips on teaching good shape Check out the handstand video from Gymnastics Planet: GymnasticsPlanet.co.uk – Gymnastics Blog | The Best Blog for News, Techniques & Discussions from the World of Gymnastics

Hope this helps.

 

[sally]

my dd struggles with holding a handstand as well. She can press well but when she has to do just a normal handstand can't do it.

 

[Kiwi]

if they lose balance towards their forward side they need to begin closing their shoulders and leaning them forward. This is the same motion they use during the last phase of a press. If they lose balance falling towards their back they need to open their shoulders and lean their shoulders towards the front of their body.

Can you explain this some more? I'm confused about the forwards and backs in your description! Is losing balance towards your forward side overbalancing (going too far over) or falling back down (reverse of the way you came up). How do you lean your shoulders towards the front side of your body?

 

[coachcasie]

came across this on gymnasticscoaching.com today
Handstand......My way - YouTube

 

[pattymello]

Can you explain this some more? I'm confused about the forwards and backs in your description! Is losing balance towards your forward side overbalancing (going too far over) or falling back down (reverse of the way you came up). How do you lean your shoulders towards the front side of your body?

Sorry nicki i was having trouble wording it right. If you falling in the direction of your chest then you close the angle of your shoulders and lean them in the opposite direction. In the same way if you begin falling in the direction of your back then you open your shoulders and lean them in the opposite direction.

Your shoulders should be used as an "emergency" system for regaining your balance. Most of your balance should be maintained using your wrists for minute adjustments. If I still messed up I will try again but I will have to be more wordy lol.

Also coachcasie. That was the video I linked to in my previouse post. The video is from the creators of the gymnastics planet blog.

 

[marie83]

Pattymello, I found that video - I think the coach I mentioned in the first post actually requested it for us as she is at Lee's club. We've only had 2 practices since the video was posted and we've implemented some of the exercises, going well so far, but one or two are struggling with keeping the nice rounded back - some of the older girls in my group have already improved with some of the exercises posted previously in this thread.

We played the circle game Canadian_gym_mom described today and the loved it. There was an odd number so of course I had to join in! Won once too! haha!

 

[pattymello]

haha i remember when i used to be able to beat my gymnasts in handstand comps. I can no longer win every time. It's kinda sad but i consider it a success.

 

[Kiwi]

Your shoulders should be used as an "emergency" system for regaining your balance. Most of your balance should be maintained using your wrists for minute adjustments.

Thanks. Can you explain how the wrists are used? I only know how to push with my fingers to prevent overbalancing.