Update: Check out this follow up post with the tips and hints I got on how to improve my the form.
This is me doing a straddle press to handstand.
Actually, one of the first times I ever did one. For most people this is not a hard skill to learn. Not for me…
I always wanted to do that, but my extraordinarily poor flexibility (ankle / hamstrings / glutes / back… you name it) was preventing me from doing it. Yes, I know a lot of people complain about their lack of flexibility, but I couldn’t even pike my hip to a 90 degree angle with flat back.
So I checked out lots of flexibility resources and got me a copy of Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz and started to incorporate his methods.
It’s a painfully slow process.
Finally I have enough flexibility to get slightly past 90 degrees. Still, I have to heavily lean (planche) into it, which makes it a super hard skill for me.
I also posted this in the GymnasticBodies forum for some critique.
And once again this quote holds true
“Just remember: somewhere in China, a little girl is warming up with your max.”
– Jim Conroy, Olympic weightlifting coach
She my not be Chinese, but this is simply stunning. Her flexibility allows her to do that move so much more efficient.
Gotta work more!
