Here’s to all of you overthinkers out there. This message is one I needed to hear for sure: Think less and do more!
Pieti was one of the amazing students we met during our visit at the Kyiv Academy for Circus and Variety Arts. I could talk to him for hours and hours, as he has quite a lot of thoughts on anything regarding handbalance and its practice. You can definitely tell that he likes to analyze things and has the mind of a scientist.
But even when you take the skill apart and analyze its components, you’ll come to the same conclusion. There’s no way to surpass the grind that comes with becoming a handbalancer. And all you need to know for that is how to pick yourself up over and over again. And just be patient with your progress. Pieti was one of those people who would change their technique five times during a session, because it wasn’t working. It wasn’t until his teacher in the circus school he attended in Finland told him to just “stay” that he realized how a simple and direct approach would help his progress.
Of course it helps to be in an environment like Kyiv. If you’re not able to train your handstands, there’s not much else to do. So that puts you in a position of sharp focus on your training and keeping yourself free from injuries (or at least finding coping mechanisms to keep going). But the main message of this video applies to many of us. Especially those among us who like to be in our heads about learning the skill.
I really hope you enjoy this interview as the main key takeaways are so valuable:
- Focus on the actual balance action in your hands/arms
- stick with one technique and grind it out
Follow Pieti on Instagram: @pietikirkkopelto
Let us know what you think and if you have any questions in the comments below!
It’s never too late to do what you love!