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Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 22 May 2020, 06:38
by drsh2020
Hi Nathalie,

Thanks for the course and your help whenever we have any doubts in our journey to handstand.
I have started Episode3 and I am able to kick to handstand but my head and legs are touching the wall still.
Few times i am a little away but mostly touching the wall only.

What I noticed was, before I bend the distance between my legs makes a difference in the momentum.
When I have little distance it is better that I dont get too much momentum.
So I just lift my left leg off the ground and place the hands on the curve.
Should I run round my back right after I place my hands on the ground which is what my current understanding is.
Also I notice that my right leg is little bent which you mentioned as the mistakes we make while learning.
How do I avoid that?

Thanks
Veena

Re: Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 23 May 2020, 01:41
by Natalie Reckert
Hello and great that you have moved on to the next part.

When you say your leg and the head is touching, do you mean that happens in the kick up exercise?

Your head should never be touching the wall :)

Yes, when you put your hands down on the floor you should have the wrists above the shoulders and yes round your back. In the kick up exercise the idea is to know how to not touch the wall but still have both legs up in the air in order to fine tune your momentum. It is a bit scary to not touch the wall at first. Do you maybe routinely just kick up a lot and touch the wall.
Please do let me know if that is the exercise you mean or maybe it is another one :)

good job for understanding how far away your legs need to be from your arms. It is slightly different for each of us.

I terms of the back leg being straight: Remember the kick and jump exercise from couh to handstand? Where I asked you to really pay attention to that back leg being straight. That is the way to go about it. Really focus on the leg, do a few "pretend" kick ups like the swing and jump exercise and focus on the leg being straight and then do kick ups.
If your leg is straight, your kick up is stronger, that why I insist.

Hope that helps and let me know if you have more questions,


best,
Natalie

Re: Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 25 May 2020, 02:02
by drsh2020
Thanks a lot Nathalie for such a quick respone! Greatly appreciate your efforts in understanding my question and answering them clearly.
Yes, I meant the kick up part only. Yes it is kind of scary at first to go up without support but I definitely feel that you have put the exercises in such a way that we are having strength to do this. May be I need to practice this part little more days and the practice may make it easier.
Have practiced just 3-4 times with breaks in between.

Sure I will pay extra extra attention to the second leg to be straight so I can kick up strongly.

Thanks,
Veena

Re: Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 25 May 2020, 15:44
by Natalie Reckert
Hello Veena,

Yes, do break the exercises down to less repetitions.

Learning how to break down the number of repetitions is in itself important because you learn how to judge the right measure of input for your body.

The kick up exercise is a really important one so it is worth spending time to get it right :)

Best,

Re: Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 26 May 2020, 19:45
by drsh2020
Sure Nathalie!
Thanks so much for your guidance.
I am trying to stay little away from the wall and trying to kick up as you suggested.
I am getting success few times, I am sure it will get better as I practice more.
Again thanks so much for your support and guidance.

Veena

Episode 3 written out the exercises

Posted: 16 May 2021, 11:00
by Katja
This is week 3 from 'The Ultimate 7 week handstand course' from Natalie Reckert
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/handbalancing


The purple numbers are minutes : seconds in the video on vimeo
Natalie's tip for open up the shoulders/arms:
 In between every exercise: With slightly bend knees chest to wall handstand, control of ribs pulled in, then push the floor away to lengthen up out of the shoulders while at the same time using the body weight (slightly diagonal with the upper body) to open up the shoulder line more. 20 sec hold
 Next step getting closer to the wall, same lenghtening up by pushing the shoulders up, now with the legs straighter against the wall, chin pulled to the chest, again using body weight to getting more opening in the shoulders, 20 sec hold


Wrist activation
1. Squeezing tennisballs with straight arms stretched out to the front, 40 x
2. Sqeezing bloks on the floor, 40 x
3. Holding a stick with straight arms in front of you, roling the stick downwards, 20 x
4. The same with the stick, now roling it upwards, 20 x, 3+4 2 sets
5. Hold the arms as if holding a big ball in front of you, (or fingers like Indian dancer thumb and middlefinger together, or just all fingers together, with wrist make semicircles and folds:
1. palms to the back (so you can see your palms), fingers pointing to each other
2. fold hands lateral (on a horizontal plane) so the fingers are pointing outwards
3. make a semicircel downwards, now the palms are facing inwards, fingers pointing to each other
4. fold hands lateral on a horizontal plane, so the fingers pointing lateral
5. make a semicircel upwards, now you're again in the begin position, palms to back, fingers pointing to each other
6. repeat and also change direction and way to hold the fingers
6. Plank position on flat hands, push up on to fingers right, left, hold for 1 second, down again right, left, 10 x
1. Same beginning with left, 10 x
7. Plank position on flat hands, push up on to the fist right, left, hold for 1 sec, down again right, left, 5 x
1. Same beginning with left, 5 x

Hip activation (6:28)
1. Laying on the back, pull one knee up to your chest, let it fall to the side and sliding it back down again, other leg, as relaxed as possible, 5 x
1. Same change direction (beginning sliding to the side and up), other leg, 5 x
2. Then begin with the first direction, followed immediately by the second direction, changing legs in between, quick 10 x
2. Pull your knee in to your chest and hold, let it fall to the side pull it in towards you and gently push it to the floor, hold, other side
3. Standing (use something to hold on), same movement: pull knee up and to the side and down again (but not letting the foot stand), both legs, both directions and also with kalf pointing to the back (45º at the knee) and circling maximally to all the possible directions
4. 11:00 Sit in straddled position, keep a straight back, lean forward onto one hand, the other hand reaches outstretched to one foot sweeping out as much as possible and over to the other foot, back and fore 5 x, change hand, 5 x
5. Same circle sweeping now with outstretched hands with interlaced fingers, reaching to the feet
6. Walk your hands forward as far as possible, try to touch the floor with the belly, so straight back, hold a few seconds
7. Lean on the right ellbow, now placed behind the right leg, sweep with the left hand to the back, the left hip comes of the floor, keep the left leg straight, it forms a diagonal with the left arm
8. Sweep with the left arm in a semicircel to the front till your ellbow is on the floor behind the left leg, stretching the right arm and right leg in a diagonal line, the foot can come off the floor
9. 7 and 8 repeat couple of times, make it to a smooth movement that doesn't stop, 10 x
10. 15:15 Begin in the straddle, reach back with the ellbows (now both ellbows), bend the legs and role into a plank, push up again while stretching the legs to the straddle (going through the diagonal stretch and threw semicircel to the front), 8 x

Core stability 17:15
1. This exercise is also in episode 1. Plank position, place hip onto the ground left and right, arms as straight as possible, grabbing the floor with the fingers, 20 x, 2 sets
2. Plank position on ellbows, place hips to the ground left and right, 20 x, 2 sets
3. 21:00 This exercise is also in episode 2. Use a physio ball or a chair. Plank with the feet on the ball/chair, scapula push ups + moving back and forth + pulling knees diagonally to the ellbows 20 x, 2 sets
4. 24:12 Side plank with straight arm, dips with hip on the floor, both sides 20 x, 2 sets
5. 26:40 Lay with the belly on the floor, nose a few centimeter off the ground, stretch out the arms to the front, without break:
1. lifting off the right arm with the left leg, 20 x
2. then other side, 20 x
3. then both arms and legs together, 20 x
4. moving arms in semicircel front to legs while legs are on the floor, 20 x
5. arms to the front ellbow to the side and paralell to the floor lifting up one ellbow from the shoulder, 20 x
6. other ellbow, 20 x
7. short brake in child position
8. Repeat only 4 to 6

Handstand preparation
1. Same as in episode 2 'tuck jumps' (bunny hops), but not to the front and up, but now from side to side, during the jump the legs are straight, hips above the ellbows, 20 x, 2 sets
2. 34: 20 Kick ups, wall begind you but not touching
1. don't stick you head out,
2. curve the back,
3. kick up hard with the bend leg, get your hip up first, not the straight leg,
4. close the second leg to the first,
5. don't bend the second leg, because it'll make your back bend in a banana
6. continous movement
7. you can do right, left or half the amount right, then the other half left, 10 x, 2 sets
3. 40:25 Same as in episode 2, L-shape, push up and away actively, hold 20 sec, 3 sets
4. 43:30 L-shape, lift one leg up, put more weight onto the hands, feeling balance then getting the foot that's still on the wall lighter, you may push a little with this foot, other side, 3 x
5. Same, but now holding in between changing sides, 10 sec, 3 sets

Stretch 48:00
1. Standing, legs hip width apart, one arm up, bending to one side, arm above the ear, reaching actively towards the side, the other arm on the leg, hold 10 sec
2. Hold a stick, hands a little bit wider than shoulder width apart, arms with straight ellobws up and stretch back, don't stick the chest or head out, stretch should be in the shoulders, hold 15 sec, 2 sets
3. Use a gym ball or the edge of a couch/bed. Lay over the ball, stretch the arms over your head, feel the upper back curve and stretch, 3 min
52:40 Interlock the hands behind the back or use a towel, push shoulders down, keep head and spine straight, both sides, hold for 1 min

Re: Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 23 May 2021, 13:35
by Natalie Reckert
Wow, thank you.

That is amazing!

Super detailed and precise!

Re: Episode3: Wrists

Posted: 23 May 2021, 18:54
by Katja
Thanks
It's just the way I can do my practice. I could follow you every time I practice of course, but as I'm at a different level :lol: , it's easier to have it written out and do my own tempo and repetitions.
But before continuing to the next episode, I always follow the video together with you to check if my level is improved and I have the right to go on!