Half Press -- Drill for Press Handstands

In the past, my boys have generally struggled with press handstands. This is a drill I recently started them working on, with excellent results.

I mentioned this drill on the chalkbucket forums (www.chalkbucket.com), and several members requested a video demonstration.

The idea is to open the shoulders as much as possible without opening the hips at all. This is to combat the common tendency of trying to lift the feet before the hips get all the way up, resulting in a planche press (which is much harder) rather than a compressed straddle press (which is considerably easier).

All of my boys (from preteam all the way up) have now been doing this as part of their daily warm-ups for about two months, and the results have been spectacular.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• press
• handstand
• drill
• gymnastics

[givemericht]

Surely this is the hardest part of the move in terms of strength, so how do you train to do it if you can't do it???? LOL FAIL!!! Would it not be more effective to practice the presses from descending foot heights, therefore building the strength requirement the lower the platforms become?

[GeoffTaucer]

@givemericht This drill is intended to address technique, not strength. A very common problem I see is kids who have the strength, but try to pick their feet up to early, and cannot make it due to technique.

So you're right, in that there are more effective ways of training the strength component; but that's not what this drill is intended to address.

[EweliNilevE]

I want to learn so bad :( i train every day.. please give me some tips! :)

[GeoffTaucer]

My ability to help you over the internet is very limited; you can get far more useful tips from a coach who works with you in person.

Good luck!

[Sylar000000]

I can't lift my hips up. Is it a core strength issue? I can do straddle lifts in a headtstand but not in this position.

[GeoffTaucer]

It's a combination of core strength and shoulder strength.

[ZachCostello]

@3pivotmasters trolololool bitchhhh you try and do it, oh wait you can't? little baby boy. Go home and eat some cake.

[3pivotmasters]

@ZachCostello maybe build some dont be a jew muscles bro. that'd help. :) trolololol. nah bro, you could do this in your sleep

[ZachCostello]

What kind of exercises can i do to get the necessary strength? I've been trying to build strength for this move for a long time, yet I still don't think i'm even close.

[superduperhappyvids]

i just wanna give a tip to ppl who have trouble if strength isnt the problem try leaning forward on your arm some ppl dont think to do that but you need to keep you balance but if you keep your arms straight you wont go up

[MrEladli]

thanks for the vid and the drill! i'm sure it will prove helpful in my quest for the straddle press., all these little gems of subtle attention, nuance and myriad of drills for deceptively simple movements are priceless. god bless the i ternet and the contributors :) thanks again!

[givemericht]

Ah, the video makes a lot more sense now! And would you believe it, lifting the feet too early is something I've just noticed I'm doing wrong!!

You must be so strong because you do the press with your hips so low. Still, I bet I could drink you under the table XD

Happy new year!