Melbourne Handstand Adventure #3

You know the drill by now!  Below is  1 Handstand tip. 1 epic place to (buy stuff) to eat and 1 worthy nature adventure close to home

Am I just “special?” Two universal handstand truths

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 trying to progress 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 doing handstands 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.

Terra Madre


Ok so this isn’t a restaurant it is somewhere you buy groceries. But before you turn your nose up in disappointment, bear with me.

Because this is not any old  grocery store.

You see shopping at one of the big thee big box supermarkets, you may have forgotten what a carrot, tomato or mandarin actually tastes like! This was my realization upon first discovering this place.

On top of the super high quality produce, there is a massive bulk food section. Where you can find every type of grain, seed, nut, chocolate, powder and spice. And you can purchase as little or as much as you like and it goes straight into a paper, not plastic, bag. And again, it’s all of a completely different class and quality.

Now you must be thinking “Ok Sundi, that’s great but I don’t want to spend $4.50 on a single apple”…. That’s the real kicker. It is actually VERY affordable and in many cases cheaper than the aforementioned big 3… wild I know.

They have their original store in Northcote and a newer one in Brunswick. Definitely check them out!

Yarra bend park

Where can you find Colonies of fruit bats, a big winding river, relative nature and solitude, pretty much right next to the CBD? The yarra bend park! An institution for cyclists, runners and kayakers. It also makes for lovely light strolls and picnic’s in the warmer months.

It is wonderful having a reserve of this size close to home, and not have to bookend an adventure with lengthy drives.

That’s it folks!

Happy Handstands, peace n love.

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.