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Hey GB, Chasing that freestanding handstand for 30s, so I'm working on wall handstands. My question is where should my hands be placed relative to distance to the wall. I noticed the farther I get from the wall (far being < a foot but > 6 inches) the more gassed my shoulders and traps get and faster, when I'm within a few inches of the wall, trust me, it's still tiring - especially when focusing on all the cues like PPT, tight core, pointed toes, shrugging into to floor etc - but seems a bit less taxing on parts of the delt... is there an optimal distance to be for max benefit from this progression? Or do I want to get as close as possible to the wall, and just have a mat or something to roll out into if I lose my balance? Thanks!

Hello. I have read a few threads concerning hand placement for middle split hold/manna and L-sits previously but often the specific topic I was concerned with was not the main topic and thus I could not find the answers I wanted. Now, I have read that doing L-sits with hands forward is easier than wrists backwards or to the side due to how the wrist exerts pressure back towards the body to support it, and for another reason using hands more backwards than forwards is easier for the middle split hold and manna. I currently do a tucked L-sit on the ground as my L-sit stuff because I don't have paralletes. Originally I did it with my hands forward, but upon seeing numerous pictures of athletes performing the eventual progression the middle split hold with hands mostly towards the back, I got paranoid that my form was wrong. I cannot do any form of L-sit with my hands completely back, but I can do it with my hands directly to the side. Also when my hands are back, my shoulders are in a completely different position than usual and I am not sure if I am not mobile enough to exert strength through them in that position without hurting myself. My question basically is this: should I stop doing my tuck l-sits with hands to the side and switch to hands completely back or about 45 degrees to the back (halfway between sideways and backwards) in preparation for the middle split hold? When I try to do tuck L-sits with the latter position, I feel a strong discomfort, but not necessarily pain, in the ulnar area of the wrist. Perhaps I should attempt an even easier variation of the L-sit until I can adapt to this wrist and shoulder position? Your insight would be much appreciated. I do not want to eventually reach the tricep and core strength for the middle split hold but wait another 4 months getting the wrist flexibility for it.