what is proper handstand technique??

[Bobby]

This should be so obvious - but after learning the variations of who does walkovers with which leg it's suddenly not ... Is there a 'rule' about which leg to use?? Ie: I always thought that whatever leg you used to kick up, you should use the other to step down. But is that right or does it even matter??

 

[gymcoach26]

first foot up is the last one down

 

[flippinlolly]

first foot up is the last one down

That's what we were taught too. I think it's partly to prevent people who are learning handstands from sort of "scissoring" their legs in order to get up further (if that made sense). Basically people who are learning often kick so hard that their legs never properly meet and they also go too far past the central position.

 

[gymdog]

The same leg should be in front in the starting and finishing lunge, i.e. the feet shouldn't be switched. I think the kickover leg should definitely be the same as the front lunging foot, i.e. right leg lunge into cartwheel and handstand = right leg kickover.

 

[Bobby]

The same leg should be in front in the starting and finishing lunge, i.e. the feet shouldn't be switched....

Do you mean if I kick up to HS with my left foot I should also land on my left foot when I step down? So far I'm interpreting you to be disagreeing with the first two replies.

 

[gymkat]

gymcoach26, flippinlolly, and gymdog are all saying the same thing. Everyone has said that if you start in a lunge on your right leg, you will finish with a lunge on your right leg. The only difference between their responses is their emphasis on the lunge leg or on the kicking-up leg: the first leg that kicks up is your non-dominant leg-- and that's the leg that comes down last.

 

[gymdog]

Do you mean if I kick up to HS with my left foot I should also land on my left foot when I step down? So far I'm interpreting you to be disagreeing with the first two replies.

No, I'm agreeing with them. The same leg is in front when you start and finish. If you kicked with the left leg, then you were doing a right leg lunge. If you start in a right leg lunge you should finish in a right leg lunge.

 

[Bobby]

gymcoach26, flippinlolly, and gymdog are all saying the same thing. Everyone has said that if you start in a lunge on your right leg, you will finish with a lunge on your right leg. The only difference between their responses is their emphasis on the lunge leg or on the kicking-up leg: the first leg that kicks up is your non-dominant leg-- and that's the leg that comes down last.

Oooooooooh. Now I get it. I give natural blondes a bad name!!
PLUS I was totally wrong about proper HS technique. Lucky I always did press or stalder into HS!!!

 

[gymgurl]

The leg you go up comes down first (if you think about back walkovers it makes sense) and at 3 different gyms that is how i have been taught.