Handstand progress

I've been working on a handstand for forever. (A year and a half.)

I started doing handstands at the trampoline gym and circuit training class. That progressed to wall handstands and gymnastics classes and finally taking a handstand class.

Progress is slow but I'm getting there.

My husband snapped this one of my at gymnastics tonight.
1. Straight up and down. (I tend to tilt my hips and not form a line. Or arch my back)
2. Toes pointed
3. My hands might be a tad wide, but it's okay
4. My head might be a tad out.
5.. Fingers are tented.
I'll take it. I can tell the difference between my handstand now and last summer. 

The goal is a 10 second hold. This picture was like a 2 second hold. I have more 5 second holds now.
I've got a better idea where my balance point is and more holds and fewer junk handstands. (Still plenty of those.)

I still need to work on
• Really squeezing my quads and butt to straighten my handstand out
• Entries. Getting me head between my arms and not out.
• Holding longer. Finding that balance point and holding it—instead of kicking up too hard and falling over.

Super happy about my progress on handstands and hope to be able to hold it longer each month.

Goal: Practice at home.
I don't have a lot of space to practice in my townhouse, so I take a Sunday handstand class and Wednesday gymnastics. That's twice a week. If I can get a few handstands in at my house or at the student gym, I think I'll make more progress. I've really just been doing them once a week and that's not enough.

(What I wore: Glyder Mosiac crop and Athleta PR tank. I like tanks with built in bras that won't come up like a loose tank might for gymnastics. )

Bonus: My husband came with me to my adult tumbling class tonight  :) It was awesome. He had a blast. He said "that was a lot of fun for $10. They have all the toys. You can pick want you want to do. And there are coaches around to help you do it." He wanted to play on the bars. So Robert worked with him on basic bar work. I think he wants to do a kip.

We walked on the balance beams. I showed him the cheese wheel for back handsprings. We played on the tumble track. He played on the parallel bars and had a bar set up for him on the floor.

Lesson: You're never too old for gymnastics. (My husband is 35.) And it is fun!

Yoga Cat helps with Crow pose

I am not a yogi. I have done exactly one yoga class in my life and it was one the trampoline. I keep wondering if yoga is something I should take up.

The problem is I'm pretty ADD (not diagnosed, but super short attention span). So maybe it's worth researching the different types of yoga. I like athletic feats. I like learning poses. I did try acro yoga (doesn't count) for a few classes.

The one takeaway from that first workout was the L handstand, which I really like. It's super challenging too.

I was wasting time on the inter webs last night and saw an article about how to do a handstand. Yes! This is where I am. A year later and still working on my handstand.

One of the steps was a yoga pose called crow. It requires strength and balance—the same fundamentals you need for a handstand. I decided I immediately had to try it. The steps were really helpful. It took me a few tries to hold it more than a millisecond. (The toes together trick really helped!)  I did fall on my face once (and did not break my glasses). I put my iPhone on selfie mode, because it helps to see my form, to see where I'm struggling or if I'm getting it.

And the cat decided to plop himself down about two feet behind me. So I had to not fall on him.

I guess he wanted his picture taken.


And here's how to do crow pose, if you're interested: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Yoga-Pose-Week-Crow-1556159

• Begin in a Wide Squat. Place your palms firmly on the ground in front of you.

• Now straighten your legs slightly and place your knees as high up onto your triceps as possible, toward your armpits.

• Shift your weight forward into your hands and see if you can lean the weight of your knees into the backs of your arms. Then try lifting one foot off the ground and then the other. If you can bring your toes together, you'll feel more compact and it'll be easier to balance. Squeeze your knees together slightly and pull your belly button in towards your spine to give you a sense of lightness.

• Stay here for five breaths or you can work on straightening your arms.