Episode4

Katja
Posts: 17
Joined: 03 May 2021, 15:52

And that's what it looks in a handstand

I see that I have my head positioned okay (I think) when doing chest to wall and handstand with wall support.
When doing a heel pull (I can manage about 10 sec standing freely), I stick my head out. And I have my elbows slightly bend.
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20210524 Heel pulls.JPG
20210524 Heel pulls.JPG (276.29 KiB) Viewed 61279 times
20210524 Straight handstand wall support.JPG
20210524 Straight handstand wall support.JPG (278.24 KiB) Viewed 61279 times
20210424 Chest to wall.JPG
20210424 Chest to wall.JPG (258.89 KiB) Viewed 61279 times
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Natalie Reckert
Posts: 68
Joined: 17 Sep 2019, 21:14

Hi Katja,

I see what you mean.

Your shoulder mobility is not too bad!
It needs a bit more work but especially in a handstand it opens up quite well and you don't compensate too much inthe handstand.

I like your handstand position, your spine is quite curved both top and bottom so I would expect this type of handstand shape.

Remember as much as we try to be very straight in a handstand, as much will the final shape look unique for everyone.

My recommendation is to do the scapular mobility exercises (standing and especially lying on the floor) to develop better active scapular strength and thoracic spine mobility:


Instead of practicing the bridge I would suggest you do these types of handstands and use them as a shoulder opener:

Also try to do the release based chest openers where you use breath to open the torso more.

Be proud of yourself, your handstands look strong! That is very important.

Invest an extra half hour three times a week in shoulder mobility and skip some of the strength stuff instead.

Thank you for sharing your training progress,
Best,
Natalie
Katja
Posts: 17
Joined: 03 May 2021, 15:52

Dear Natalie,
Thank you so much for helping me with my handstand alignment.
I'll do what you tell me: invest more time in mobility than strength with the particular exercises you mention.

Till next time,
yours Katja
Karol
Posts: 2
Joined: 05 Jul 2021, 21:47

Hi all, I really love this course! But I am stacked in this week, because I am not able to do the bridge from the "circular movement", only from the floor. My hand is not able to touch the floor, what can I do? Can I move to the next week without this ability? Or do some specific stretching like Katja? Thanks!
Karol
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Natalie Reckert
Posts: 68
Joined: 17 Sep 2019, 21:14

Hello Karol,

Yes, you can move on to the next week.

You do not need to master every exercises, but it is important to see where your weknesses are (and your strengths too :)) and keep working on them.

It may be that you are not lifting the hips enough to reahc all the way to the floor.

The how to use this course video has some suggestions about how to use an alevation for your feet for the bridge.

Keep practicing the circular movement and move on to the next week.

Best,
Natalie
MattBynum
Posts: 1
Joined: 08 Oct 2021, 02:07

I am now on Episode 4, and this is my favorite episode so far. I have been doing each episode for 3 weeks, and I am sure that I will need at least 3 weeks for episode 4. The hardest exercise for me is the wall walks, so I want to spend enough time to be able to do the 3 sets of 5 wall walks.

I really enjoy the bridge work. It reminds me of the flexibility classes that I have taken at a local Aerial studio. I also took some handstand classes there, but unfortunately the Aerial studio closed. Too bad, because it was so fun to train with others. But at least now I have Natalie’s handstand course.

I also need to work on keeping the breaks short. I will get there eventually, but for now I need to take longer breaks.
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Natalie Reckert
Posts: 68
Joined: 17 Sep 2019, 21:14

Hello Matt,

Thank you for sharing your experience!

that sounds like a very good strategy.
3 weeks is a good time to digest all the information and exercises.
I am in general a fan of slow learning.

Great to hear that you are enjoying the bridge work too!
Lift your legs up onto an elevation like I describe in the extra video that I added after the course had been running some time. It really hepls to change the angle of your shoulders and helps you to work into the stiffest parts of the upper back and shoulder line.

Best,
Natalie
lindsay
Posts: 1
Joined: 13 Oct 2021, 10:27

Hi Natalie,

I'm able to kick up into a handstand and hold for minutes but i'm very scared of face to wall handstand. I'm scared of loosing balance/arm giving out by accident and tipping over, and getting down (I tried to get down like you instructed, turning my arm sideways, but I'm just very clumsy and uncoordinated and couldn't do it smoothly without almost hurting myself). It's stopping me from doing the wall walks like you do in the video - my hands just refuse to walk any closer than around 60cm from the wall). I don't know what to do with the wall walk practice - is it still valid if my hands are far away from the wall? Can I move to week5 if by the end of this week I still can't get over my fear?

Thanks
Lindsay
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Natalie Reckert
Posts: 68
Joined: 17 Sep 2019, 21:14

Hello Lindsay,

Thank you for sharing your questions :)

I would suggest that you identify how close you can get to the wall and still be able to step out with one leg/ step down to the floor.

That may not be very far, but that is ok. It is important to find a "working position" when you feel stick with something, meaning a position that you can work with for the moment.

I would also suggest that you do diagonal handstand holds instead of coming very close to the wall.
You can do this with straight legs or with bent legs.
Here are tow videos that show you how:
This one is usually for people with tight shoulders, but is also useful in order to overcome fear:


and here is the other one, which I use for students in my online coaching. The idea is to find a diagonal handstand line and hold it. You should always feel like you are still able to step down with one leg:
Downdog with wall handstand prep:

Let me know if this helps, and yes you can continue to Episode 5 without having mastered the wall walks.
I have to say that facing the wall or being with your back to the wall are also personal preferences and you don't neccessarily have to be able to hold your handstand facing the wall in order to learn a handstand.

Let me know how it goes,
Best,
Natalie
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