Handstand, Toe Pull

Once you can hold a wall facing handstand for 30+ seconds, you can start to work on finding balance in the handstand. Handstand toe pulls teach how to rebalance the handstand when we overbalance. This toe pull drill is simply used to catch the overbalance and push the toes back to the wall. You're not looking to hold the balance. There are a couple of different variations we can explore in the toe pull. We can either use a planching technique or a hip piking technique. In both variations is essential that the elbow stay locked and the shoulder stay elevated. Focus on pushing down into the floor as hard as you can. Start by performing a wall walk and placing the hands roughly 20cm away from the wall. Stack the shoulders vertically above the wrist and elbows and open the shoulder angle by pushing the head between the arms. Your eyes should be looking straight down at the floor in line with the palms of the hands. The inside edge of the feet are pressed together, and the knees are locked. Set a posterior pelvic tile (PPT) by tucking your tail bone between the legs, contracting the glutes and sucking the belly button in towards the spine. You should have a flat back or even a slightly rounded back. In the planched version of the toe pull, you will allow the shoulder to move forward, away from the wall. As you start to close the shoulder angle, the torso will lean forward, and the toes will float off the wall. Be strict on yourself, and do not push off the wall with the toes. As the toes float off the wall, be ready with the fingers, you must push through the fingers, so you don't fall off the wall. You will need to push down as you open the shoulder angle by moving the armpits and chest towards the wall and stack the shoulders vertically above the elbows and wrists. In the planche version of the toe pull, the shape of the body never changes. We maintain the tight hollow body shape and focus on closing and opening the shoulder angle. In the pike version of the toe pull, you will allow the hips to pike as you pull the hips away from the wall. As the hips move past the vertical alignment of the wrists, elbows and shoulders, the feet will slowly slide down the wall. Be strict on yourself, and do not push off the wall with the toes. Continue to pike at the hips until the toes float off the wall. As the toes float off the wall, you will need to open the hips by moving them into a posterior pelvic tile (PPT). At the same time, keep the shoulder angle open and push through the fingers, so you don't fall off the wall. In the pike version, the body shape will change, but the shoulder angle will always remain open. Try not to combine the techniques. You do not want to be closing the shoulder angle and piking at the hips while learning to control the overbalance. Both versions of the toe pull are worth practising as they are both transferable skills to move advance handstand training. Before you begin each set, decide which version you are going to perform. You can experiment with the different version from set to set or session to session. Perform the prescribed number of toe pulls.