Handstand History

Watch the full video > https://youtu.be/VPWHqxxK3zU

We are going to explore

What peasant farmers thousands of years ago had to do with the birth of Chinese acrobatic acts?

The link between Ancient Greece, handstands and wine.

And what records from the middle east provide astonishing detail about some of the worlds oldest, paid professional inverters?

Finding when the first human stood on their hands is impossible. I am sure our earliest neanderthal relatives did so before they were even walking fully up right.

But we can explore some concrete evidence of the practice dating back thousands of years.

Various cultural settings featured handstands in one way or another and for different reasons.

It is much easier to find evidence of acrobatics under which umbrella, handstands could be assumed present. But I have tried to stick purely to written and or visual evidence of actual handstands and kept speculation to a minimum.

This is just a small segment of research conducted in the time period between 3000BCE to 550CE. And although that is an astonishing leap back in time. Plenty of proof exists about one of humanities oldest, physical feats.

Greece

Partying and handstands

Interesting combination. Though one I wouldn't generally recommend myself.

But as far back as 2500 years and earlier (500 BC+) it appears the ancient greeks were doing just that. Although the handstand part would likely have been performed by a hired acrobat, and hopefully a sober one at that!

Continued in video (see link at the end)

China

Peasant farmers watering the early seeds of acrobatics

Imagine walking out into your family living room as a child, casually dad is there balancing on the dining table, upside down on one arm. Twirling a wooden cooking spoon with the fingers of his free arm. “Dinners ready!” he and mum sing out in unison.

Though this story is a conjuring of thought, in ancient China, particularly among the poorer working classes it has some plausibility.

Continued in video (see link at the end)

MIDDLE EAST (SYRIA) :

Ancient professional performers

I find this historical segment particularly intriguing as specific details present from archaeological findings and written text give such vivid insight Continued in video (see link at the end)

CLICK TO WATCH > https://youtu.be/VPWHqxxK3zU

sundi pereira

Handstand Classes, Workshops and Short Courses Melbourne

For all things related to the wonderful world of hand balancing and handstands, handstand classes, handstand workshops and handstand short courses Suby Handstands has got you covered in Melbourne.

Whether you want to work in a group setting with Melbourne based handstand classes or Melbourne based handstand short courses or on a one to one basis with private handstand lessons you are going to experience growth in your practice.

Many people believe that the best way to progress their handstand is to repeat the same thing over and over again thinking that one day it will lead to some sort of miracle and finally click. I can tell you best way to progress is in fact to practice, but to practice the RIGHT things for your specific level, awareness and body. This is the way forward in your handstand training.

Participating in handstand classes or private handstand lessons is the best way to find the keys to unlock the gates to progress and stop experiencing frustration and fear in your handstand practice.

So you’ve mastered handstand at the wall and are ready to take it to the middle of the room? But every time you hop up, it feels like you can only hold the pose for a nanosecond. What gives? How can you learn to stick your balance in the center of the room?

If you’re looking to move your handstand away from the wall, odds are you’re already familiar with kicking up into the pose. Even so, starting with a solid, well-aligned foundation and kicking up with confidence can strongly increase your chances of balancing in handstand.

Press handstands are one of the coolest gymnastics/acrobatic skills out there

They are a demonstration of control, power and body awareness that can be done virtually anywhere.

Press handstand is a beautiful skill but one that is made up of many physical attributes. Flexibility, core strength, shoulder strength, skill and technique all equally play an important role. Having coaching to assess which area's you individually need to develop is vital to learn press to handstand safely and efficiently. I can help you put together a training plan to achieve your inversion, arm balance and hand balancing goals.

Tuck handstand is another awesome skill to work on.

As the name implies, a Tuck handstand is a bent leg position where the knees are pulling towards the chest, versus a handstand where the legs are fully extended with toes pointing directly towards the sky.

It helps to develop correct should alignment, shoulder strength, shoulder flexibility and is the gateway to many other cool handstand shapes. There is 2-3 amazing handstand drills that drastically help develop tuck handstand.

What about handstand pushups? A brilliant display of body control and raw power.

Just like you wouldn’t want someone performing a ton of kipping pull-ups when they don’t have the strength to do one strict pull-up, we don’t want someone doing a ton of kipping handstand push-ups if they don’t have the strength to do a strict handstand push-up. The shoulder strength required to complete a handstand push-up is great, and some may not have that strength just yet. Have no fear, I have created a simple training program to help you build your upper body strength to reach the goal of obtaining a strict handstand push-up. With dedication, patience and hard work, you too can successfully attain the handstand pushup.

As soon as you’re able to balance a handstand by the wall for just a few seconds without using the wall for support, it’s time to start adding some freestanding handstand exercises to your practice. BUT don’t leave the wall behind entirely just yet, it will still be one of the most useful tools for awhile to help maintain your conditioning and continue developing sound balance mechanics.

It can seem both terrifying and impossible to move your handstand practice away from the wall. Because what’s gonna happen if you fall? Some parts of the fear of falling out of a handstand are rational, others are entirely irrational.

let me help you address and overcome the rational fear of falling when you practice the freestanding handstand.

Learn how to handstand by learning :

How to fall

The benefits of going upside down

The muscles worked in a handstand

How to warm up before doing a handstand

Step-by-step directions for doing a handstand

Common handstand mistakes to avoid

As for how long it'll take you to master a handstand? It's pretty individual. Some will get it right away, while it takes a lot longer for others. Remember that it’s as much a mental discipline as a physical one and keep trying, knowing that you will get there.

So let get started. Click on the Handstand classes Melbourne page and take your practice to the next level whilst cultivating discipline and self understanding.