WAG The press handstand - a "make it or Break it skill"

[katlinchen]

I was wondering:

is the straddle press to handstand/pike to handstand more a technique or a strength thing?

let's say there is a strong Person who can do a lot of pull ups, push ups, leg raises etc, has a good flexibility and can Support themselves in straddle and L-Sit for 1 minute but Never tried a press handstand - could they do it within some attempts?

or is it a skill that you need to train Over months to get the technique?

 

[Muddlethru]

My daughter did it pretty quickly. She went from zero to 60 in the TOPS physical abilities within 2 months and qualified to national testing. Some get it right away. Some take longer. Some never get it. With the list you provide, it would seem it would come easy. The only sure answer is to have the person you are describing try to do one.

 

[BlairBob]

I doubt it would happen within 5 attempts unless they have very good body awareness and a solid 30s to 1 minute handstand.

 

[Quadqueen]

My DD can't do it at L7. She never worked on it at her old gym, and now, 6 months at her new gym, it seems "too late" to learn it, as she's not tiny...nor can she hold a handstand for a long time, as BlairBob indicated.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

It's sort of a balance of different factors, each of which can compensate for a shortcoming in the other.

If you are very strong, you can get a press handstand without good flexibility or good technique. The inverse is also true: if you have good flexibility and technique, the strength requirements are not nearly as high.

 

[Uglybetty]

DD still working on it....can get from straddle lever to elephant stand and from elephant stand to handstand....but can't yet do both together.

 

[stxrdusty]

Press handstands take strength and technique. On a side note, it also helps if the gymnast or person doing the press is small or has a lighter body frame.

 

[Lilly]

This is such a frustrating skill; I am typically optimistic about achieving dreams with hard work and tons of drills, but a basic knowledge of physics shows how dependent upon anatomy this skill is. I personally know an elite gymnast with high flexibility levels all around with very strong basics (can do dozens of perfect leg lifts, rocks, handstand push-ups, holds stationary handstand for several minutes at a time) who has worked on presses for more than 10 years and still finds them incredibly difficult...often can not do one. This person even has a very light frame and again, is one of the strongest athletes I have ever seen. And then I have seen overweight x-gymnasts pull them out so easily. Leg length and arm length are hugely important. Press handstands are a praise of genetics.

 

[Ponyshine]

This is such a frustrating skill; I am typically optimistic about achieving dreams with hard work and tons of drills, but a basic knowledge of physics shows how dependent upon anatomy this skill is. I personally know an elite gymnast with high flexibility levels all around with very strong basics (can do dozens of perfect leg lifts, rocks, handstand push-ups, holds stationary handstand for several minutes at a time) who has worked on presses for more than 10 years and still finds them incredibly difficult...often can not do one. This person even has a very light frame and again, is one of the strongest athletes I have ever seen. And then I have seen overweight x-gymnasts pull them out so easily. Leg length and arm length are hugely important. Press handstands are a praise of genetics.

It's so true that sometimes the most unlikely of people seem to manage it with ease, while others who appear stronger & lighter or generally more able really struggle.

 

[Aussie_coach]

The length of your limbs and torso can make it much easier or harder. Long arms and a short torso and it's easier, short arms and a long torso and it's very difficult.

 

[munchkin3]

Press handstands do NOT run in our family.

 

[profmom]

I think that with a very few exceptions, almost any serious gymnast can learn to do them. They are definitely harder for some than others, but if someone is willing to prioritize getting one to the point of spending plenty of time working HS holds against the wall, press ups against the wall, slow lower downs on parallettes, etc., it is possible. Boys have to have them, so they will go the extra mile or ten to get them. It can be a painful process to watch, but it does happen eventually if they are good enough and committed enough to stick with it and just keep doing the drills. And I don't think it's just sex difference; my guess is that if a press and hold were a required element in girls' floor routines, just about all of the ones who wanted to stay in would cry and curse and mutter under their breath but eventually get it.

 

[gymnastca25]

My dd struggles with them even though she is extremely strong. But she has a long torso and short legs and arms. So, it makes them very difficult for her. She can easily do 30 leg lifts, 30 over and under chin ups, climb the rope very quickly without using her legs, etc...

 

[bogwoppit]

This is such a frustrating skill; I am typically optimistic about achieving dreams with hard work and tons of drills, but a basic knowledge of physics shows how dependent upon anatomy this skill is. I personally know an elite gymnast with high flexibility levels all around with very strong basics (can do dozens of perfect leg lifts, rocks, handstand push-ups, holds stationary handstand for several minutes at a time) who has worked on presses for more than 10 years and still finds them incredibly difficult...often can not do one. This person even has a very light frame and again, is one of the strongest athletes I have ever seen. And then I have seen overweight x-gymnasts pull them out so easily. Leg length and arm length are hugely important. Press handstands are a praise of genetics.

@Lilly This thread is a year old. Why dredge it up again. It has a warning at the top of it.

 

[needcoffee]

This is a very hit and miss skill for my DD. They don't practice them regularly in her new level (new coach) and she "lost" it for awhile there. She can still do it, but it takes her a fair few attempts now before she can get up.

I'm still a novice gym mum, but I imagine it takes a crap load of abdominal and arm strength? I tried to do it once, couldn't even get my butt off the ground lol.

 

[needcoffee]

Eek, just saw this is an old thread, sorry! That writing is very small on my phone!