Contortion handstands

[Zachary Farber]

Ah but now youre answering a different question lol. A hollow BACK press is not in a hollow body shape. Still not clear on what the difference is between a tight arch and a hollow back.

[Mikael Kristiansen]

Lots of misunderstandings here. A contortion handstand or(kauchuck handstand) is NOT a a mexican handstand. A contortion handstand does not use any flexibility in the thoracic spine nor the shoulders. It purely comes from a deep low back arch and hip extension with very closed shoulders. In fact, if you are good at it, you can have your arms only at 90 degrees flexion. A mexican handstan, however, arches from the thoracic spine and flexion of the shoulders.  

 

This is a very good example by my friend Alexis. He is first in a deep contortion handstand and then he extends his shoulders as in a mexican. If he bends his legs there he is able to loop his legs through his arms.

 

https://instagram.com/p/3zGCnOmY4d/?taken-by=alexis_akrovatakis

 

Contortion handstands can be dangerous if you dont train them well. As most things, if you prepare well and train correctly you can manage just fine. I know many contortionists who work actively, and I dont see them developing more problems than other people. Having the body for it is really important though. You seem to have very good lumbar flexibilitiy and you might have a talent for these things, but be careful. You need a lot of strength and knowledge as well to be able to do this safely.

[Laine Rinehart]

Thanks for the feed back, Handbalancer. I haven't had any issues except for early on when I first started and at the most it has been muscle soreness along the back with no sensations of compression in the vertebrae. I am interested in what you consider the priorities for strength to  be as it applies to my pursuits. Would it be the same for anyone following the Gst progressions or would there be a different focus? I've heard everything from the front of my body should be strong to gain control over my back to the back muscles need to be strong to do the same. At this point I am just assuming I have to be strong everywhere.