Teaching connectivity right side up is difficult enough much less while inverted. Once an athlete is inverted, the motor skills and hand eye coordination become that much more challenging. As most coaches have experienced, it is not easy to coach athletes while they are inverted. This is where the necessity for different drills come in. The challenge is to make understand what to expect before the movement.
The goal of todays skill work is to understand the importance of the hollow position while inverted. One of the biggest things individuals lack when in a handstand are the “active shoulders”. Their shoulders are usually in a neutral position instead of being fully engaged or fully active. I personally like to have everyone stand in a circle around the coach and then put them into the position they are going to be in while inverted. The last thing I have them do is to press their palms to the ceiling after they have established full connection through the rest of their body.
Once the athlete is ready for the drill, they do wall walk into the nose and toes position. Literally, the nose and toes are the two points of contact. You have to maintain a hollow body in or to achieve this position. Next, have them go from a neutral shoulder or “inactive” shoulder to pressing away from floor. This is the correct position to be in when doing a handstand walk. This is a difficult to be in while in a freestanding handstand. It is not easy but this is what we strive for
(This is my brother Chris practicing his nose and toes. If he fails, he goes through the screen!)
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Happy Monday!,
Coach Poppa
Skill (post workout): Tabata noes and toes to the wall while focusing on active shoulders!!