handspring balance?

pole-twista started this discussion · 10/6/2009

ok as some of you know this is a move that has cleverly eluded me for some time now..hmm..damn handspring 😠 i am slowly (ok very slowly ) getting closer to getting my hips high enough and head low enough that im starting to think theres a chance i may get it. 🤸 the problem comes when i feel myself going upside down bc i feel like i am just going to keep going and just flip all the way over 😮 😳 ( not in the gracful way veena or fluer or some of you other ladies would do. 🦇 . no i would do it my way which could get me hurt.. 😨 any tips or advice on finding your balance and not pulling a whole flip on accident? 🤓

11 replies

pole-twista · 10/7/2009
was wandering if its easier to jacknife or just do a regular handspring. this balance at the top thing seems to be really throwing me 🤔
Trena · 10/7/2009
I havent done a front handspring yet but on my cartwheel mount I found it easier, balance-wise to have my legs in the 'aysha' position. It in my profile photos if you wana check it out.
Georgie · 10/8/2009
Hi there, I find concentrating on my lower hand (keeping it tight etc) makes the rest of the body follow. Act as if you're going for a regular handstand (only sideways) and you should be ok. Hope this helps xxx
EVamp83 · 10/8/2009
Just to underline that everyone is different, this is my take on the handspring: I started out with cartwheel mount to split (aysha legs), which might make balancing easier. When I got that down I progressed to jacknife and straight edge. But in the end I find it the easiest to straight edge and jacknife. I guess it's a matter of personal preference. One advantage of jacknife is that your behind doesn't have to go up as high. (Which is why I sometimes feel like I'm cheating when I go to jacknife 😀 ). My polebuddy Sam just did her first cartweel mount yesterday (after trying for a few weeks), and she did it to straight edge. For the front handspring I still mostly come up in a crouched position first and then extend my legs to straight edge or jacknife. (But I'm working on that 😉 ) All in all, I've never felt like I was almost falling/flipping over in these two handsprings, let alone actually flipping all the way over.. And I have never seen it happen with any of my polebuddies either. Has that ever happened to anyone here? Because otherwise, you can assume that the risk of flipping over isn't at all as big as you think it to be.
RoxyPink · 10/8/2009
Do you ever practice doing a split grip aysha or straight edge from an invert instead of a cartwheel/handspring mount? Maybe you could do that first and then once you get your body placement and balance then move onto the mount. Another thing, if you really focus on the push/pull with your arms it will help with balance. How is your balance in either a forearm or elbow grip straight edge?? I found that doing the aysha/staddle legs easier when it came to finding balance and once I built up the strength doing the jacknife and straight edge was no problem...also....always look where your feet are...it's kind of like balancing a broom on your hand...if you don't look at the top of the broom it will fall but when you watch it you are able to adjust your arm to balance it! The only time I ever felt like I was going to flip over is when I was first trying the "true grip" cartwheel mount...lol...did bust my butt a few times from flipping over.. 😳
EVamp83 · 10/8/2009
lol, I have the exact same thing with the true grip I'm so in need of a true tutorial 😂
Trena · 10/8/2009
I am able to do cartwheel mount handspring into extended butterfly, aysha, straight edge & jack knife but can only do regular butterfly in split grip! I dont know whats wrong with me! It makes me so sad that I can cartwheel mount into them but not actually do them with slpit grip (i.e. from an invert)! 🙁
Veena · 10/8/2009
Don't worry Trena.....I find it is a bit different to work on inverted split grip moves from an invert instead of a CW mount or HS mount. Your centered on the pole when your doing it from an invert...and when you do the mounts your not right on center so that can change the balance factor a bit. Does that make sense? 🤓
pole-twista · 10/8/2009
almost got it today but bottom arm (which i believe is suppouse to stay straight bends! cant sem to keep bottom arm straight! did the split grip aysha (from invert) today so guess will just have to build on that any tips for jacknifing? i think these mounts are so impressive and would love to get 1 of them (any. cw, hs, se) 🤓 😉 🤓 thanks for all the advice ladies! 😀
Trena · 10/9/2009
Yeah it totally makes sense Vee, thanks! That explains it!!! I'll just have to keep working on it. But my damn hands keep slipping!!! Pole-twista well done on the split grip aysha!! Keep working on holding it cause then when it comes to the time that you can do the handsprings you'll be able to hold it for longer!!!! 🥂
pole-twista · 10/10/2009
thanks! did it tonight (split grip) and felt pretty comfortable so will keep trying to hold for longer and longer. this is a toughie! 🤔 🤓 😉