Being Upside Down (2024/062)

Another post all about hand/arm balancing, for which anything with 'feet off the ground' counts (e.g. 'planches').

The essential elements are balance (obviously), core and shoulder strength for maintaining a good and steady shape, and endurance for staying up... which seems to be a good place to start, since gymnast Seth has posted a three-minute video of his best handstand hold (he can do longer, but was not happy showing the less-good shape). OK, this is a bit like 'slow telly' where not much happens (reindeer wandering in the arctic comes to mind for one programme we watched!)... but Seth should be admired for his artistry as well as the hard work which goes into being able to make this happen, even if there is a slight bend in his shoulders:

Actually his shape gets progressively bendier as time passes, but full marks for effort!

'Croc' (...odile) - a standard position in acrobati gymnastics

That's the perfect shape for a twohanded balance.

That's acrobatic gymnastics at its best - every 'men's pair' (or foursome) needs to include the one-arm, of which there is many different position to transition between

In regaard to 'bendier', this yoga boy shows a variation on Mexican handstand, which is not actually allowed in competitive gymnastics (except in the acrobatic genre).

Now back to video action. We'll start with Seth again:

Some tips from gymnast Beau:

Combine the hand balance with strength training?... ... ...

More from some professionals in training mode:

And from calisthenics (OK - this is not exactly "upside down", but...) ...

So we'll allow another brief planche then...

Gym bunnies heading for their workout warm-up could try this:

For the rest (below) - just pot luck what emerges from our archive!

 

Try Mexican to planche and repeat? In a snowdrift for added "sp(ice)"...

Let's not be put off by the rain either:

 

You just need to put in a whole load of daily practice...

...and, like Yevgeny, be sure to get plenty of rest after training...