This is the most impressive handstand walking video that I have ever seen.
Handstand Contests
Handstand contests are no secret in the gymnastics business. Competition often adds an extra element of effort to the process of improving gymnasts’ handstands. There are two general types of handstand contests, stationary (which translates directly to gymnastics competition) and walking handstand contests which usually end up adding more of an endurance element to handstands. In fact, coaches find that walking handstand contests often have to be cut short in order to allow time for regular gymnastics practice.
Walking Handstand Contests Can Take a Lot of Time
I have truthfully never maxed out a walking handstand contest, because there are always too many other things to do in practice. And endurance walking handstands (or endurance strength moves of any kind) are not directly related to the kind of handstand strength actually used in gymnastics. Also because many gymnasts do not last as long as others, handstand walking contest are not a particularly efficient method of practice for the whole team. For efficiency and to fit in with our strength training annual plan, I usually only do walking handstand contests during the summer off-season (for JO gymnasts) or occasionally on Saturday testing and competition sessions during the school year.
15 Minute Plus Handstand Walking
But I have had a number of gymnasts, who were so proficient at walking handstands, that for them to really tested, they had to be pitted against the whole rest of the team (who went sequentially one-by-one). The most memorable was a nine year old gymnast, on one of my teams, who could almost always outlast the whole rest of the team put together. She would almost always walk on her hands for over 15 minutes at a time, often walking not only all around the gym, but would walk outside, just to keep it interesting. And she would walk up and over soft mats and regulation mats, on and off the FX mat and up and down hills.
So everyone get out there and pump up your handstand walking skills!
