The journey to one arm handstand has proven quite challenging and often tricky, but I am greatly enjoying the process as it unfolds. All that being said, along the way I have come to assemble a list of tips I thought I might share to help you in your own journey. Without further ado, here are my current top 10 tips for one arm handstand:
#1 The ideal stance for handstands is shoulder width apart, which allows you to stack your body. I tend to go wider on some variations like the HSPU, however, for OAHS you definitely don’t want to go wide, as it will make it harder (and the distance to travel is longer) to transfer your weight to the supporting arm.
#2 Save energy when practicing OAHS. For example, don’t try to save your two-arm handstand. Just come back down and start again. Also, don’t press up when working on OAHS, so as not to overly exert yourself. This also means you have to have a good kick up/tuck up.
#3 It is easy to get excited and rush to your one-arm progression, however, I found it more efficient to first get into a solid two-arm handstand and only start my shift when I felt in total control.
#4 Work hard on your flexibility. It will help you get a wide straddle, which makes the transition to OAHS a lot easier. A wide straddle is priceless in helping you learn to distribute and shift your weight.
#5 Work on your conditioning. I can’t stress this enough as it really is the easiest part of the process as long as you do your homework. After all, there is nothing more frustrating than finding yourself in the right position only to realize you are too tired to hold it! Even though the handstand is a resting position and not a strength exercise, you still need to be able to hold your weight on one arm! Also, structure your practice sessions so that you stop before you lose good form and with enough time for you to adequately recover for the next day. Here is a good drill to use for conditioning–blocks shuffle:
#6 When shifting your weight to the supporting arm, make sure the shoulder doesn’t go beyond wrist.
#7 Be sure to spend enough time adding various leg and side movements to your two-arm handstand prior to OAHS. This should also be a regular part of your warmup before doing any one-arm work.
#8 Working with a spotter is priceless given the value of real time feedback, especially if he/she has OAHS experience. The next best thing is a video camera, but make sure to record yourself from both a side angle as well as from the front. Both vantage points are supremely helpful. Unbeknownst to you, your body may twist, arch, etc. which the video recordings will reveal. Even worse, your dominant side may behave completely different from your non dominant side.
#9 You can use the wall to learn how to balance on two hands, however, OAHS is really the product of 360 degree corrections. With that in mind, using a pole is a great way to build strength and play with different leg variations while also allowing you to pull in all directions!
#10 Naturally, your dominant side is likely to get more mileage because, let’s be honest, you are probably more successful on that side. All that being said, make sure to work on both sides, maybe even more so the weaker side. When working on drills, I alternate the side in which I start on so as to make sure I don’t favor either.
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