Trying to get somewhere with the press handstand

[Jojogymgirl]

Sometimes you have to start at the bottom and work your way up again, and if you have the strength and flexibility to do so, then you won't be stuck on the wall forever. Try putting a panel mat down. Roll onto your back in a candle postion then roll forward and try to do the press. This makes it a little bit easier. It gives your legs more room and your body a little bit more momentum. You can always go on the beam. Personally, I think that it is easier. Your hands have somewhere to grip. You can always do the roll back to candle position on a regular floor. Do as much of the press as you can after you roll forward and when you get stuck, simply do a forwards roll. Try to get spotted on 10 in a row a day, for a few sets a day. Ask them to spot you less and less everyday and when you try by yourself you will have it or be even closer. If you have a kip machine (lose things you put your feet in when you're learning a kip) attach it to the post of the uneven bar. (It's the thing that connects the high bar and the low bar by the poles that hold them up, girls climb on it to get to the high bar sometimes, it is the only horizontal pole on the whole set of uneven bars between the high and the low bars). Put a floor bar in front of the kip swing drill that you attached to the post. Put your feet on the kip machine, with your toes tucked under and on top of the kip swing, and your hands in a push-up-like position on the floor bar. Lean forward as far as you can and then come back to position. Do about 10, 3 times every other day. This will help with your leaning motion. On the day you aren't doing those, take a barrel and do the same thing. This is slightly different, and the barrel will most likely be bigger. Again 10, 3x a day. Eventually, you won't get stuck at the leaning point in the press. Another "press" you can work to get your real press would be using a frisbee, or something that can move underneath your feet easily. Start in a seal stretch with you toes on the frisbee. Pull your body up into the press. The frisbee should move easily underneath you and should help you with your press. If you do enough of these, your regular press should come easier. Plus, make sure you work on your straddle/middle splits. If you aren't flexible enough, you can't pull your legs through and off the ground. I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[coveredinchalk]

It might be in the hands

If it is not your strength or flexibility, it might be in your balance. The previous mentions of leaning more forward is important but also, you can use your hands to help. Try spreading you fingers very far apart and slightly bend your fingers (just a little). As you press up, you can then push your fingers fully flat into the floor (like you are trying to grow roots!). My daughter prefers to keep her elbows soflty bent as well going up and down. She straightens her arms only when she completes the roll up and legs come together. She softens the elbows (just a little) on the way down again.

Good luck!

 

[dancing9118000]

I went through this too...

I spent almost seven years trying to get the press handstand. My big problem was that I am very tall for a gymnast, about 5'7", and in press handstands, height is evil!! Anyway, I finally got it last year. My problem was that from a standing straddle, I could lean and get my feet about two inches off the ground and then after that, I would stop and fall over. I felt as though my hips wouldn't continue raising and I would feel stuck. What my coach finally pointed out to me was that I was attempting to raise my feet up instead of rolling my hips first. What you want to do is roll your hips so that your hips are over your head and your back is straight FIRST before you pay much of any attention to your legs. So focus on your back and hips not your legs. Also it is a lot easier to get the press if you can easily do a straddle pancake stretch on the floor with your chest all the way down and think of holding your legs very close to your body until your back is straight.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I spent almost seven years trying to get the press handstand. My big problem was that I am very tall for a gymnast, about 5'7", and in press handstands, height is evil!! Anyway, I finally got it last year. My problem was that from a standing straddle, I could lean and get my feet about two inches off the ground and then after that, I would stop and fall over. I felt as though my hips wouldn't continue raising and I would feel stuck. What my coach finally pointed out to me was that I was attempting to raise my feet up instead of rolling my hips first. What you want to do is roll your hips so that your hips are over your head and your back is straight FIRST before you pay much of any attention to your legs. So focus on your back and hips not your legs. Also it is a lot easier to get the press if you can easily do a straddle pancake stretch on the floor with your chest all the way down and think of holding your legs very close to your body until your back is straight.

I can't wait for my DD to follow this advice once her collarbone is strong enough to support her weight again. She has been very frustrated w/this skill, but this is a very clear, concise explanation of what she needs to do. Her "pancake" is ALMOST flat on the floor, but not quite! She CAN work on that while her shoulder heals. Thanks!

 

[LasswadeCoach]

press to handstands have very very little to do with arm or stomach strength, yes you need the basic core strength but a press handstand should be done ENTIRELY through the shoulder muscles.

An exercise I love (because it is specific to the press handstand) is one that really requires a bench or platform, stand on the platform with your feet together, keeping your legs straight and put your hands on the bench infront of you (like a pike fold) then press your shoulders over your hands and slowly lower to straddle lever - hold for two seconds

This is a great exercise, but also do handstands with your stomach against the wall, push your shoulders up so you lose your neck, and suck your chest in so your back becomes flat, it is actually better to do these with your hands further away as it is easier to get into the correct shape.

I have other shoulder exercises but they are very hard to explain!!

I hope this helps, if you have any other questions, just ask!

 

[gymch34]

Hi, Heres some press handstand "drills" that have always worked for me!

* doing them from a stand w/ toes rolled under and back against wall so you are really pressing, not jumping

*laying on a panel mat the long way, and rolling up into the press- the legs are on the long sides of the panel mat, hands on the short end

*standing presses, toes under again, but in a headstand, that way you are working the press action without having to hold the handstand

*start in a handstand, and work the straddle down part of the press- a lot of people ignore this part but it helps build strenth

*lots of hanstand holds- you cant control the press if you cant conrol the handstand

* lots of spotted presses!

Also, working on paralettes helps w/ your wrists if you are really dilligent with doing all these drills-
Hope it helps!

 

[gymnaSTICKs]

does anyone have any tips specifically for learning a stalder press? (from sit instead of stand)

i can do a press from a straddle stand pretty easily. i can go from a stalder sit to a straddle stand, but not up to a handstand.... i have my pancake/middle splits down. anyone have tips on how to get the full press??

 

[LasswadeCoach]

your hips not only need to be flexible, but they need to be strong, along with your inner thighs.

Sit in straddle and put your hands at either side of one of your knees, then keeping your hands beside (or past them if its too easy) your knees lift your leg up as high as you can several times, it should be nearly impossible to get your leg off the floor, if it feels easy, slide your hands towards your toes, do this at both sides and also with your hands down the middle.

 

[spoiledali]

hi,

I got them on the wall and I have only done them like once on the floor and thats only because I had a sudden urge to do one and then that was it. I have to say from the one press handstand that I did, you only feel like you are going to fall but you really aren't. Just put like a pillow or a really soft blanket underneath you and that might cushion you if you fall.

I would suggest doing a lot of handstands and handstand pushups. Also try doing a headstand press. This will help you get the feel for having to use your abs a lot when pressing up.

I'm not an expert or coach or anything so I may not be the best person to ask. I just know what I see my dd doing and what I have learned from my adult classes when I used to take them.


Good luck with getting press handstand and keep me posted with tips on how to do them more than once!

tnkx.