Frustration… it’s a very common word for everyone who has embarked on the journey of learning how to handstand. In this episode I talk about my perspective on how to deal with it and I tell you a little bit about how my own journey has gone so far.
Frustration in Handstands is something you have to learn to manage. It’s like a separate skill apart from the physical that is often a determining factor when it comes to your progress.
In my view there are three big things to manage:
- Expectations: In the big scope, this is about understanding that becoming good at handbalancing is not as easy as it often appears. When I compare it to figure skating, I never really saw people expect of themselves to learn double or tripple jumps in the first year of starting to train. Yet when you look at people who start on a handstand journey, many expect to get to a level where they can perform handstands on command within a year. It might be doable for some, but there is no reason to put that pressure on yourself. The only thing that matters in the long run is that you put in the work, so this is where you should attach your expectations! Be honest with yourself: are you really putting in the time and the drills? And are you fully focused on making things work in your body when you practice?
- Progressions/Regressions: A big part of the puzzle is to make modifications to your exercises whenever they’re not working on a particular day. If you’re working with a coach, this is what the coach does. We make sure that you stay efficient and productive in regards to where you are at the moment. But if you’re on your own, it’s important for you to know how you can make exercises easier or harder, depending on the day. The “danger” of becoming frustrated is that you can get hung up on not being able to do something, instead of figuring out how you can actually make it work for your body. This can result in unproductive sessions and wasted time. Know your regressions and you’ll still get value from your handstand practice, even on bad days.
- Support Systems: observe what helps you both, long-term and short-term. This can be anything from training with music, with a community or a coach to watching videos of handbalancers you admire to keep you motivated. What makes the journey more fun for you? And what helps you through immediate rough patches?
How to deal with frustration in handstands is a topic that comes up super often. We are all in the same boat and I hope that this episode helps you over the hump of a bad balance day.
I’d love to hear about how you manage your frustration! How do you keep going when your balance is off? Leave a comment below!
It’s never too late to do what you love!