Today’s episode is a recording of our Hollowback Handstand Class on Tuesdays for you to follow along.

This class does not include a warm-up and is targeted at the main exercises for developing balance in hollowback (mexican) handstands and scorpion (contortion) handstands. I recommend you do our Daily Movement Class for open chest & shoulders and/or the front splits & bridge Flexibility class before this one. I also recommended you to already have a 20sec freestanding handstand for this class.

Tuesdays at nook are all about creating the flexibility and strength needed for mexican and contortion style handstands and the schedule is designed to gradually build on top of the previous class. Our schedule on that day starts with an easy movement class, which is focused on opening chest and shoulders and serves as a gentle warm-up. It’s followed by our deep flexibility focused classes for front splits and bridge / wheel. The last class on that day is the Handstand Backbend class in which we implement our new achieved ranges in handstands.

Be aware that I know the members of our community and the class is always tailored to the people who attend live. Please listen to your body, take what is useful for you and disregard everything that is not. It’s ok to make modifications as needed!

I hope you find this follow-along class useful! Let me know how it went by leaving a comment below.

Have fun!

It’s never too late to do what you love!

-Sonji

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Today’s episode is a 30 min follow-along class for your press to handstand! Give it a go and let me know how it goes :).

Be sure to warm yourself up well. This includes warming up your wrists, shoulders and your hamstring and pancake flexibility before you start. The more you can compress your hip flexors, the less heavy the press will feel, which is why we regularly have a middle splits & pancakes class right before we do presses. If you have the time, I recommend you do the flexibility class that I published a few weeks ago, before you start with this one.

I also recommend you start working on your press to handstand once you already have a few seconds of straight balance to press into. I consider the press an extension of a handstand. Basically your shoulders have to be stable enough to support your legs on the underbalance side of your body without collapsing – just like in a tuck handstand. Only with the press to handstand, the range is bigger and requires you to control the whole pathway from the floor up. In this class we spend a big portion of the time dissecting this pathway. I hope it all makes sense to you!

Patience is Key

Developing a press to handstand is generally pretty straight forward, but it requires consistent practice and patience. It took me what felt like an eternity! I’ve talked about my press journey in a previous episode, which you can watch here. But believe me, if you stick with it, you’ll get it. And of course I’ll be there to help you along the way, if you ever get stuck. 🙂

I hope this follow-along class helps you to reach your press goals!

Don’t hesitate to comment down below, if you have any questions. If you feel stuck and need personal guidance, come and join us in class at nookmovementstudios.com! Or of course you can always book a private session with me as well.

It’s never too late to do what you love!

-Sonji

The post PRESS TO HANDSTAND 30min follow along class | nook movement studios appeared first on .