At a festival on Easter long weekend a brief conversation with a nice gentleman got me thinking about two universal truths that seem to apply to most people I have talked about handstands with.
1. The struggle. Everyone seems to think they are a special case of un-talented or especially challenged.
The hard truth is handstands are f*&^ing difficult and most people feel this way. If you are progressing you are constantly practicing at the edge of your ability and failing and falling frequently.
This is normal and once you embrace it the mental anguish diminishes greatly.
Hot tip. Practice. Don’t get too attached to any one day of training. Each one is a page in your novel that slowly adds up over time.
2. The variability is very high day to day.
Anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time on their hands has experienced this. The difference between a “good day” and a “bad day” can be pretty massive. For no obvious reason sometimes.
This applies to all levels. You don’t have to be kicking game winning goals every session to be productive.
Your old good day will eventually be your new bad day.
I have seen advanced hand balancers do amazing things I may never accomplish and fret and swear in frustration.
The goal posts are always shifting. But the high variability remains.
Be patient and celebrate the beautiful, complex and at times mysterious wonder of this awesome discipline and your body