Have you ever tried to handstand? If you are into yoga and other calisthenics movement practices, you will likely have at least attempted these before. Handstands help strengthen the core, which is crucial for your overall bodily health, and also help to build muscle to protect your spine, strengthen shoulders, and improve balance.
With good training, commitment and practice, you can learn how to do solid handstands. If you are just a beginner, there are crucial things you need to get right for proper handstand training. Below we list some of the most useful tips for doing handstands. Read on to find out more:
Yoga/Handstand Equipment
The first thing to do, is to get the right handstand equipment. Like other exercises, you need equipment to enhance your level of training and safety. Start with a mat, a thicker one to avoid injuries when landing. You can buy handstand blocks for hand, back, and hip support. You can also use bolsters or pillows if you are practicing from home. You will also need a wall to practice against. Fortunately, these are easy to find.
Start by Testing your Strength
The first thing to do when training handstands should be testing your strength. You need to know if your wrists and shoulders are strong enough to carry your weight. If you are overweight, you might cause damages to your ankle and/or wrists. You can do this by walking the walls slowly with hands firmly on the ground. Keep walking your feet up the wall as you assess the pressure on your wrists. A personal trainer can help with this.
Work on your Abs
Before you can start with intense handstands, you need to build up strong abs. When practicing handstands, your back will be exposed to a lot of pressure, and you need tight and strong core muscles to protect it. Weak abs mean you will arch your back, which exposes it to potential injuries. Having strong abs that will enable you to stay properly aligned and in good health for longer. Ab strengthening should be part of the exercises that you do every day as you practice your handstands.
Keeps your arms Straight
Your arms are stronger when in a straight position. You can maintain straight arms by ensuring they are always tucked straight by your ears. Doing handstands on bent arms can cause injuries to your elbows and wrists. Bent arms also increase the chances of landing on your head. Straight arms plus squeezing thighs together will give you a straight solid line from your toes to the palms on the ground. Keep your elbows locked at all times while practicing handstands, always.
Try not to Look Down
Most people doing handstands have this tendency to look down at their hands. This may feel like a natural position, but it’s not a healthy position. Looking down in the ground can throw you off balance since it’s like looking up when standing. Your neck is bent at an angle that breaks the nice, straight line you have created from toes along your spine. Your head should always stay at its natural angle as if you are standing on your feet to maintain a healthy alignment. At first it may seem easier to stare at the ground when practicing, but as you improve, try to aim your gaze forward instead, to give you the perfect alignment from head to toe.
With these tips for doing handstands, you will have an easy time to exercise and keep safe. Get the right equipment and always aim at maintaining a straight line from toes to palms. You will improve with your handstand practice faster in a professional studio or gym with a qualified trainer.
