My challenge is your challenge: FL hold, BL hold, free handstand

[James Rios]

Originally Posted by Brady Osborne

frits,
not really sure how i ended up on that path but the flag just came easier. i tend to practice it more. i like to place a 45# bumper plate on the ground near a wall and kick into the handstand with one hand one the plate. then drive the shoulder of the arm on the plate to extension then back down. helps build the shoulder lock out for the flag. as for the FL just never worked it so as you said..... the race is on.

i cant seem to picture it.
think u can get some pics or vids?
only flag i can find is the one where u hold yourself on a pole like a flag... on a pole...
from the sound of what you are describing it just sounds like a one armed handstand training...

[Blair Robert Lowe]

Ben for your HS press from straddle stand you may want to try working HS press down against the wall. The farther away from the wall your wrists are the easier the press will be but as your hands get farther there is more pressure on your wrists due to the amount of wrist flexion.

With a HS that good you should be able to kick up into HS and lower down with control to a straddle stand, pancake split, or straddle-L (ideally).

As well, in a straddle stand I just don't have the active hip flexibility to get started in the press. I can press off a panel mat alright through since that starts my toes a bit higher.

[Tony Black]

Fantastic Frits very inspirational - ive been meaning to work my FL and BL and handstand so im in.......only got a mobile cam atm (ie no stand) so a bit tricky filming without a partner handy.


Dont fancy being pwned by a 68 year old though

[Frits Mansvelt-Beck]

Yeah, I get to hear that a lot. Anyway, here is a link to a site where you can download a pretty comprehensive article about the handstand (from a gymnastic point of view), including how, what and why to train for. It is very wordy, but the illustrations are very good.
Work and family safe:
http://www.thegympress.net/journal/a..._training.html

Also, my first attempts at getting used to the handstand load and position. The HS in the clip looks like the real thing, but it is not. My big toe and the ceiling are like two love birds. Have to convince them that 30 seconds of separation will only intensify their bliss. Again, work and family safe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJb1bh_7KKI

[Brady Osborne]

Originally Posted by James Rios

i cant seem to picture it.
think u can get some pics or vids?
only flag i can find is the one where u hold yourself on a pole like a flag... on a pole...
from the sound of what you are describing it just sounds like a one armed handstand training...

you are correct on what a flag is. the HS technique is a drill to help improve the flag

[Frits Mansvelt-Beck]

I spent some time last week getting the feel of a back lever hold. I think that most of the strength is there , but that recruitment of that strength needs patient development (i.e. the right neurons need to fire to activate the right muscles to stay in this somewhat unfamiliar position). So, the plan is to mainly get into this BL position 5 to 6 times for 10 to 20 seconds, 2 times a week using a bungee cord to help keep my feet up (giving 3 to 5 kg of uplift). For the hand stand I will continue to do my wall runs increasing the time of a continuous run to, say, 5 minutes; right now, I am at 1 minute. Meanwhile, of course, I will continue to kick into a (wall-assisted) handstand whenever the mood strikes me. By the end of the year, I will take stock of (hopefully) gains. For the front lever, I have started to do FL raises with 6 pounds on my ankles. I row between 40 and 60 km per week (in an 8+ and 2-), so no worries about metcon. I have noticed that the core strength gained (from FL, BL, HS work) helps my rowing. The rowing actually helps (the shoulders etc.) to recover from an intense FL, BL or HS session. I will keep my postings about progress limited to highlights and some video evidence of significant progress. Right now, I have given myself 6 months to get there.

[Steven Low]

Get some vids up.