Training

Any fellow anxiety prone folk here who have struggled with handstands, more out

h0w_1nt3r3st1ngSep 29, 3:41 PM

Hey all, I'm working towards handstand and handstand pushups at the moment. I can do 8+ reps of HSPUs assisted, near vertical against a wall, but when it comes to practising handstands, or even frog stands as somewhere to start from, the fear of bashing my head/face/teeth into the floor is preventing me from pulling it off. I'm just wondering if anyone here has been through the same but come out the other end and can now do handstands/handstand push ups? If so, what were/was the thing/s that helped?

4 replies

norooster1790_7·Sep 30, 2:15 AM
Pretty normal to feel that, in my gymnastics gym we started beginners with the animal flow movement "Frog", seen here in this short https://youtu.be/JXAHDB0FeJs?si=bU_Hq8q2RQBzrQi_ As you get used to doing frog, lift your hips a *little* higher every time. You might even accidentally do a tucked handstand briefly
leeverde4·Sep 30, 4:46 AM
Could help to watch some stuff about break falling/rolling. Basically learning how to fall safely. As someone that used to throw myself down stairs on a skateboard, it is a critical skill to have. Could maybe throw some pillows or heavy blankets around you and just practice falling a bit to show your body that it's not so bad. Maybe with a friend to slow you down a bit.
odd_chemical_4484·Oct 1, 12:23 AM
Maybe it would help to not be such a fucking pussy.
goldenman_m_4·Oct 2, 3:20 PM
Theres two things you have to learn. Learning to trust that you won't crumble from the weight of your body (which you seem to be fine since you can do Wall HSPUs) and that you won't fall on your back n a freestanding HS. For the latter, I usually teach people to do fall safely first, essentially doing a cartwheel out of a handstand. Start small, put both hands on the ground, and just swing to the side and move one of your arms out in front to direct your fall. Progressivly swing higher and higher basically doing a cartwheel but from the ground. Once you learn that you can safely fall to the side, the fear will go away. Trust me I used to have that fear as well until I knew how to fall safely.

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