STANDING STRADDLE PRESS TO HANDSTAND

VIRTUAL CLASS INTRODUCING ATHLETES TO HANDSTAND PRESSES FROM A HALF STANDING POSTITION

STEP 01

ABOUT THE CLASS

WHAT IS COVERED?

In this class, I'll show you how to work towards and practice the standing straddle press handstand. This is the first step in learning to eventually press from a seated position!

WHO IS IT FOR?

This class is for athletes wanting to learn a press handstand. Athletes must meet the prerequisites listed below before attending this class.

STEP 02

LEARN THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS

1. PREREQUISITES

Coaching Notes

1. 1:00 Hollow Hold

2. 1:00 Wall Handstand

3. 0:15+ Freestanding Handstand

4. Middle split (or, at least very close!)

5. Pike stretch (again, must be at least very close!)

6. Must be able to achieve the fully “stacked” handstand position (Completely open shoulder angle / No upper body limitations)

2. STEP BY STEP BREAKDOWN

Coaching Notes

1. Set your hands on the ground, slightly outside shoulder width apart

2. Straddle your feet to the side, outside your hands

3. Keeping your hands in the same place, slowly walk your feet forward, getting them as in line with your hands as possible — The closer you can get your feet to start, the easier your press will be

4. Lean your shoulders forward over your fingers, and carefully lift your heels off the ground, coming onto your toes

5. Use your fingers to grip the ground for extra stability

6. Press your hands into the ground to engage the shoulders, creating a strong base

7. Continue leaning forward, pressing into the floor, and lifting the toes off the ground

8. Bring your legs out to the side through a straddle position, pulling them together at the top

9. Once you hit your handstand, re-trace your steps back down, first straddling your legs out to the side

10. Rounds your hips and bring your feet back to the floor, landing in the same starting position

3. QUICK REALITY CHECK

Coaching Notes

Remember in the beginning of this class we discussed how difficult the straddle press is? How much effort and determination you’re going to have to give this skill in order to make it?

Well, here is your mid-class reminder that the press is HARD!

We’re covering tons of very small, very important details that can get overwhelming, so I want to encourage you to take a deep breathe, relax, and remember what exactly you’re learning — One of the hardest gymnastics movements in the sport.

Now, with all this being said, should you be discouraged? Should you move on to another skill? Absolutely not! My goal with these reality checks is to give you light at the end of the tunnel. To let you know that this skill IS possible, you just have to work a little harder for it!

You can do this!

4. SET YOUR FEET BY YOUR HANDS

Coaching Notes

When setting up for your standing straddle press, you want to set your feet outside your hands, getting them as much in line with your hands as possible.

The closer you can get your feet to your hands during the set-up, the easier your shift forward will be (“Key #2”), which means the easier your full press will be.

If your feet are set too far backwards, you’re going to have too far of a shift to get your bodyweight centered over your fingers, and it’s probably not going to end well (you won’t be able to lift your feet off the ground).

So, start strong, start bendy, and walk your feet in as much as you can.

5. SHIFTING THE SHOULDERS FORWARD

Coaching Notes

This key is pretty non-negotiable — If you want to be able to press into a full handstand, you’ve got to understand and put into practice the concept of shifting your bodyweight forward in order to achieve the proper weight distribution over your hands needed to press off the floor.

So basically, you MUST lean so far forward over your fingertips that your bodyweight is centered over your hands.

If you don’t shift far enough forward, the majority of your bodyweight will be set behind your hands, and you will not be able to lift your feet off the floor at all. Because, #gravity !

Shift forward, press firmly through your hands to create a strong base in your shoulders, and only then will you be able to lift your feet slowly off the ground.

NOTE: Yes, shifting forward puts TONS of strain / pressure on your shoulders, and it’s hard! If it feels super hard, like you’re not able to hold your bodyweight when shifting forward, that tells us that you may have a little upper body - strength weakness that need to be addressed and improved before effective practice can continue.

6. PASS THROUGH THE STRADDLE SPLIT

Coaching Notes

Being able to stretch into a full straddle split is, in fact, going to make your press handstands easier! It has to do with weight distribution.

In the initial stages of the press, as your heels are lifting up and shoulder shifting forward, you’re going to carefully press your toes off the ground, bringing your legs around the side into a straddle position. The farther you can get your legs out to the side (AKA, straddle split), the better balanced your bodyweight will be over your hands, which makes for an easier handstand!

If your flexibility is limited and you’re not able to get your legs into much of a split, your legs will not be able to travel out to the side (AKA, not able to position weight properly over your hands), and you’ll be trying to press vertically, as you have the lower half of your body centered behind your hands, which means gravity will forever pull you backwards!

(Think of the differences between a “pike” press, and a “straddle” pressing position — Pike is harder because the full weight of your legs is positioned far behind your hands for most of the press, which requires more shifting forward, more strength, more wrist mobility, etc. With straddles, you can bring your legs out to the side, which doesn’t require as much shifting forward, strength, etc.)

STEP 03

REVIEW THE MOST COMMON FAULTS

7. FAULT #1: COLLAPSING SHOULDERS

Coaching Notes

So, you feel like your shoulders are collapsing as you shift forward in the beginning stages of your press, right?

If so, the culprit - 99% of the time, at least - is upper body weakness!

All presses require a crazy amount of upper body strength, because we’re essentially moving in absolutely slow motion, and as strict as possible. It’s hard. If you find yourself trying to shift forward, but the shoulders aren’t having it, you may want to take a step back and increase strength gains first, or at least practice against a wall where you can lean and have some of your bodyweight supported.

8. FAULT #2: JUMPING VS. PRESSING

Coaching Notes

Fight it! You don’t want to overcompensate for a lack of strength or understanding by changing the movement — At no point in your press should you be jumping your feet off the floor!

If you do feel like the only way you’re going to get into a handstand is to jump your way there, that probably means your set-up is wrong, or you may need some strength gains.

Evaluate the position of your feet to hands in your starting position. Are they close, almost in line? Or, are your feet pretty far behind you?

Usually when athletes feel like they need to jump, it’s because they are not able to fully shift forward, centering their bodyweight over their hands, so they want to create some power to hit that end position. Instead, try walking your feet forward so your initial shift is minimal.