How the Tuck Handstand

How the tuck are you supposed to tuck?! In last week’s video we talked about why the tuck handstand is such a powerful exercise to build handstand specific flexibility and strength. And today it’s all about how to start implementing tuck handstands in your training!

I put together a broad framework of how you can start developing your tucks. Of course this is not the end all be all. But I hope this offers you a conceptual idea of how to practice them. When learning any balance shape, it makes a lot of sense to split it up into different parts:

1. understanding the shape (building an internal body map and developing a feeling for placement)
2. understanding the balance (managing over- and underbalance)
3. entering into the balanced shape (coordinating speed, dosis of strength and placement and developing precision)

It’s good to focus on each part individually before you put them all together and integrate them into a handstand.

Be sure to be patient with yourself and focus on what you’re doing rather than how you feel about it. The most useful thing you can do for your progress is to film yourself and check back with how what you’re doing looks versus how it feels. This helps to develop your handstand body map. It’s not uncommon for you to feel like you’re tucking your knees super low, but when you look at the video, you’re just barely passing hip level. So don’t worry and just stick with your practice for several months. Progress takes time and patience!

I hope this video is interesting and useful! Join the conversation and let me know in the comments below what you struggle with the most! You never know, maybe there are other people out there who might learn from your experience, or you’ll learn from theirs :).

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

-Soundschi