WAG Any press handstand success stories in older students?

[Lilly]

Does anyone have any success stories for a female gymnast learning a press from straddle-L past the age of 15, who is not tiny, if they had not been working on it as a child (when they were a part of other programs)? These people can hold a static handstand effectively, can lower down to straddle-L slowly, and have no visibly apparent weaknesses (i.e. very strong at pull-ups, L-leg lifts, straddle-L leg lifts, handstand pushups, inverted hangs, etc.). They also are great at straddle-L walks on beam (with feet above beam level). Pressing from stand is fine, but they can't even press from straddle-L to stand after much spotting and effort. The weaknesses I do see are a slight flexibility issue (full oversplits in regular splits but not quite all the way flat in straddle split) and the back does not appear to be able to round over itself like the people who take to it quickly. It's funny to see the younger gymnasts perfectly execute this skill but are significantly weaker. And we are talking about muscular athletes of medium build and probably fully grown. Also: long legs with very muscular thighs- I just would like your opinion: Is it probable?

 

[gymjunkie]

We had a coach, who could never do it as a gymnast, learn it as a coach at age 25. We also had a 14 and 15 YO learn it for the first time last summer.

 

[JBS]

Older athletes usually just don't try hard enough...they get too discouraged and are too lazy. I have seen many athletes get presses at an older age...however...most of these athletes are not gymnasts. Pole vaulters...crossfitters...etc.

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

My daughter is 8 lv4 will hopefully be going to 6 and she can't do a press handstand. They are never really taught to do it. Is this a must?

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I'm sorry to say this but I don't know many success stories. We have national testing for promising gymnast in our country and gymnasts have to pass 20 different skills or physical abilities tests. You have to get a certain number of passed skills in each event and also in strength and flexibility to pass and earn a diamond mark. We have huge number of older optional level gymnasts who have ALMOST completed the test - they are only missing either 5 meters rope climb without legs in 20 seconds OR a press to handstand. You have to get one or another, you can't skip both. Those girls are older, 12-18 years old, and when they were little we didn't have that national testing system here and press handstand training wasn't really emphasized across the field. So they started learning the presses much later and never got them. On the other hand we have now a new generation of younger gymnast who have started to work intensively on presses at very young age and they are getting those presses like piece of cake. Yesterday one of my gymnasts got it and she's actually still pretty weak. She doesn't even have her chin up pull over yet but she got that press pretty easily. This drives the older optional gymnasts crazy. They are so much stronger but those little kids are beating them in this.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Age has nothing to do with achieving the press to handstand. You don't hear of a lot,of older teens and adults achieving this skill because there are far less older teens and adults doing gymnastics. Those who do gymnastics at those ages have usually been doing it for quite some time and press to handstand is something they would have been working on at a younger age.

But if you look into adult classes you will absolutely see adults with no previous background achieving this skill.

The length of your body versus the length of your arms can be a limiting factor with this skill. You can work on your strength and flexibility but you can't change your torso length.

 

[gymnndance]

Age has nothing to do with achieving the press to handstand. You don't hear of a lot,of older teens and adults achieving this skill because there are far less older teens and adults doing gymnastics. Those who do gymnastics at those ages have usually been doing it for quite some time and press to handstand is something they would have been working on at a younger age.

But if you look into adult classes you will absolutely see adults with no previous background achieving this skill.

The length of your body versus the length of your arms can be a limiting factor with this skill. You can work on your strength and flexibility but you can't change your torso length.

@Aussie_coach
Do leg lifts, pull-ups, dips etc have anything to do with this skill? Because I always thought being stronger overall does really help with presses but recently thought about maybe only tuck planches and straddle L sits help.
We have girl (16 years) at the gym who can do up to 7 presses in a row from straddle L with really nice form (round back, good compression, straight arms). she is also a nice tumbler, has great limbers and walkovers although she is not super flexible in her back like some others. She just has a beautiful handstand. But she never works on pull-ups, dips, push-ups or anything, just a little core conditioning and jumps.

On the other side, we have crossfitters who tried this skill and some have a really hard time. If they achieve it, it looks kind of weird.

Any infos on that for me?

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Not a female gymnast, but I didn't get mine until I was about 20

 

[vbdb]

My daughter is 8 lv4 will hopefully be going to 6 and she can't do a press handstand. They are never really taught to do it. Is this a must?

They are a very important skill at our gym and something that our athletes do every day. My 10yo DD who is level 4 is doing 6 in a row now and it's a requirement for all the girls in her group to do at least 5 controlled presses connected. I always thought they were important to and they're used quite frequently in beam routines to mount the beam. Disclaimer *only a gym parent, not a gym coach.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

It's not as make-or-break as a lot of coaches act like it is. I mean, it's a great skill to have, and it's a great way of building strength and control for bars, but I've seen plenty of good upper-level gymnasts who couldn't do a press.

 

[Lilly]

Age has nothing to do with achieving the press to handstand. You don't hear of a lot,of older teens and adults achieving this skill because there are far less older teens and adults doing gymnastics. Those who do gymnastics at those ages have usually been doing it for quite some time and press to handstand is something they would have been working on at a younger age.

But if you look into adult classes you will absolutely see adults with no previous background achieving this skill.

The length of your body versus the length of your arms can be a limiting factor with this skill. You can work on your strength and flexibility but you can't change your torso length.

I didn't really mean that I thought younger people cognitively understood it better; I would just be willing to assume that there is a strong correlation between body weight and press ability. There are exceptions, but usually the lighter people (even if weaker) can press better than heftier people. In those adult classes, have you had any heavier people become proficient at this skill?

 

[Lilly]

It's not as make-or-break as a lot of coaches act like it is. I mean, it's a great skill to have, and it's a great way of building strength and control for bars, but I've seen plenty of good upper-level gymnasts who couldn't do a press.

I agree that it is not a 'make-or-break' skill; Non-pressers can be amazing on bars, because bars should be swung and not muscled. I just appreciate your thoughts on the feasibility of everyone getting a press; I like to be realistic with athletes if they come and say "I have always wanted to learn _____"

 

[vagymmomma]

The length of your body versus the length of your arms can be a limiting factor with this skill. You can work on your strength and flexibility but you can't change your torso length.

Can you elaborate on this point? Do you want a longer torso or legs for press ups? Just curious.

OP - My DD got her press ups at around age 12. Certainly not an older teen, but older than most. For her it was just a matter of setting the goal. As others have said, it was not a priority skill in her gym and I think half the battle was wanting to get it.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Can you elaborate on this point? Do you want a longer torso or legs for press ups? Just curious.

OP - My DD got her press ups at around age 12. Certainly not an older teen, but older than most. For her it was just a matter of setting the goal. As others have said, it was not a priority skill in her gym and I think half the battle was wanting to get it.

No it,mis easier with a shorter torso and longer arms. Have you noticed that some kids can just easily lift themselves up to a clear straddle hold even though that are not that strong and others struggle to do it despite great strength.

 

[gymdog]

I really, really wonder why you're so focused on this. How many times has the question been asked and answered and are you looking for some other kind of answer?
My answer will be the same, it's not probable but it's not physically impossible. I think that the older you get people who haven't done a lot of gymnastics tend to have a flexibility issue with the wrist alignment needed for handstands and presses. Not everyone, but a fair amount. Also most adults simply don't have 20 hours a week to devote to gymnastics training.

 

[Aero]

Active flexibility and strong deltoids (shoulder muscle), especially the anterior portion of the deltoids. That is what will get you a press. Young girls that are small, even if they're weak, are still able to press due to strength to weight ratio being heavily in their favor. For older, bigger people, it comes down to raw active flex strength and really strong deltoids. Active flex is for being strong enough to compress the legs up tight to the chest at all times during the press, and the deltoids allow the performer to lean forward past their hands (planche) in order to maintain balance during the lift.

It certainly is harder for heavier people to perform a press handstand, but it is possible. Unfortunately, it just takes more work.

 

[CoachRita]

Active flexibility and strong deltoids (shoulder muscle), especially the anterior portion of the deltoids. That is what will get you a press. Young girls that are small, even if they're weak, are still able to press due to strength to weight ratio being heavily in their favor. For older, bigger people, it comes down to raw active flex strength and really strong deltoids. Active flex is for being strong enough to compress the legs up tight to the chest at all times during the press, and the deltoids allow the performer to lean forward past their hands (planche) in order to maintain balance during the lift.

It certainly is harder for heavier people to perform a press handstand, but it is possible. Unfortunately, it just takes more work.

That is so interesting, never heard it form that point of view.

Do you think a press handstand is a very important skill in gymnastics?
Or are things like push-ups and pull-ups and leg lifts more important?
Basically, do you think it would be possible to be a good gymnast with only training presses and jumps?

 

[azara]

I've set a goal for being able to do a press! (almost 17yo). It's a lot more difficult for me than the younger girls in the group because I'm a lot heavier and taller than they are, at 150lb and 5'6 (hope I converted those into Americano correctly). The issue for me is getting my shoulders far enough over my wrists and being able to hold my legs off the ground so they don't pull me back. I'm really struggling with the rounded shape. I also have a long body and short arms, which adds to the challenge. My leg and core strength is pretty good, but my arm strength is terrible, which doesn't help. I know it's going to be harder for me than the younger girls, but I really hope I get there. So I would say it's harder, but hopefully not impossible.