1-1 Alejandro Workout – Coach Bachmann

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Handstand Workout 1

Here is your full workout for today. This overview includes name, reps, and most important cues. IMPORTANT!! To see the video click the (“+”) symbol next to the exercise name, and it will expand.

Look after yourself and only do what feels safe enough.
Make sure to warm up well.

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Specific Warm Up

Exercise	Reps/Sets	How to/Cues
Forehead to W	1x8	Start with your head just off the floor and your hands underneath your forehead. Rotate your hands for the thumbs to point towards the ceiling as your bring your arms to the W. Make sure you have a 90 degrees angle in your shoulders and that your elbows are in line with the shoulders. Pull your hands and elbows up towards the ceiling and not back. Keep your chest on the floor the entire time and rotate your hands for the thumbs to point towards the ceiling. Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch.
Straight to W	1x8	Reach your hands out towards the front to elevate your scapula, then lift the hands up towards the ceiling keeping your chest on the floor. On the way back stop with your elbows in line with your shoulders and a 90 degree angle in your elbows. Lift your forearms towards the ceiling and squeeze on top for a moment. Keep your chest on the floor the entire time and rotate your hands for the thumbs to point towards the ceiling. Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch.
Back Extension	1x8	Lock your elbows and place your hands next to your hips. Start by internally rotating your arms so the back rounds and the pinky fingers touch the floor. Then externally rotate your arms, squeeze your shoulder blades together in the back, look up towards the ceiling and engage the whole back lifting the upper body of the floor. Keep your feet about shoulder width apart on the floor the entire time. Move slowly! The longer this takes the more control and strength you will develop!
Elbow Lift	1x8	Interlock your hands behind your head and keep your forehead on the floor. Lift your elbows up as you were trying to make them touch behind your head. Bring them back down slowly. Do not slam them into the floor. Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch. Move slowly! The longer this takes the more control and strength you will develop!
Arm Circle	1x12 each direction	With your arms locked and out by the side like an airplane perform small and dynamic circles. Keep your chest on the floor and lift your head sligthly. Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch.
Salt Bae Wrist Curl	1x8	Start with the palm of your hand facing downwards in front of you. Using your internal muscles stretch your hands open. Bring your wrist into full extension and spread your fingers wide. Engage your forearm and hand muscles to make the tips of your fingers touch and curl your wrist into flexion. Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.
Wrist Warm Up	1x20sec	Gently stretch your wrists on the floor. Rotate, twist and move them to stretch them in each direction. Spend more time in positions where you feel less mobile or even stiff. Keep your elbows locked and hands shoulder wide apart.
Wall Walk	1x2	Engage your whole body! Do not allow your back to arch or your shoulder blades to stick out behind your back. Take small and controlled steps with your hands facing towards the front. Only your feet should touch the wall. Do not place your knees, hips or chest on the wall. Do not look at the wall. Instead look at the spot in between your hands.

Handstand Training

Demo	Exercise	Reps/Sets	How to/Cues
	Tuck Slide 1x4		Keep your knees together and make them touch the wall as you pull them down. Pull your knees as low as possible whilst engaging your lower back. In the tuck position your hips need to be in a slight anterior pelvic tilt. As soon as your lower back rounds and your hips flip into a posterior pelvic tilt your knees are too low. Lock your elbows, elevate your scapula and look at the spot in between your hands.
	L Handstand Leg Isolation 1x2 each side		If you feel like you have to arch your back to use the top leg as counter weight your alignment is off. Push out tall from your shoulders and move them on top of the center of your hands instead of trying to force this to work by opening into a banana position. Focus on the way back and isolate the movement in 1 leg at the time. Do not use your top leg as a counter weight. In case of a temporary lack of hamstring flexibility bend your knee slightly to ease the tension.
	L Handstand - Both Legs Back to the Wall at the Same Time 3x		Go as slow as possible and try to stay in control the entire time! If you feel like you are going to low and you are about to lose control: Stop and simply try to freeze in place! Look at your hands, keep your elbows locked, scapula elevated and weight in the fingertips at all times. In case of a temporary lack of hamstring flexibility bend your knees slightly to ease the tension.
	L Handstand Pull to Floor 3x		Start in a perfectly straight line from hands to toes. Flip your hips into an anterior pelvic tilt and make them guide the movement. Align your shoulders and hips on top of your hands as your feet slide down the wall. As your legs approach horizontal continue to pull on your hips with your back until your feet leave the wall and lower towards your hands. Push your shoulders open and pull with your back to slow the movement as much as possible. Close your shoulders as late as possible. Keep your elbows locked at all times.

Freestanding Handstands

Demo	Exercise	Reps/Sets	How to/Cues
	Straight to Straddle to Straight 1x2		When your legs are together your feet should be in a parallel position. As soon as your legs open they have to rotate externally. Move slow and work on staying in control at all times. The goal is not just to jump from one position to the next but even to control the journey between the positions. Keep your scapula elevated, elbows locked and and the weight in the fingertips at all times. Look at the space in between your hands and engage your legs!
	Straight Single Leg Isolation 2x2 each side		Make sure your shoulders stay right on top of the center of your hands. Do not push them open in the direction of your armpits or allow them to close and slide in the direction of your back. Whilst the aim is to bring the leg all the way down to parallel you can start by only going until around 45 degrees If you are limited by your current level of flexibility or skill. Carry your leg down slowly and don't drop it. Stay in control at all times. A spectator should be able to say stop at any moment and you should be able to freeze.
	Straight to Tuck to Straight 1x2		Time your hips and knees. If you were watching this drill from the side the feet should travel down and back up on 1 vertical line. Pull your knees as low as possible in the tuck but stop before your lower back rounds, shoulders close or elbows bend.
	Leg Circles from Straight 1x2 each direction		Work on isolating the movement exclusively into your legs! Your elbows should stay locked and the shoulders fully elevated and immobile throughout the entire drill. Hold each position for at least a short moment and bring your body to a visual stop of movement. Do not try to outrun your balance. Stay cool! If something does not go as planned: come to a stop, fix your position and then move on. Alternatively, you can also come down and reset from the top or simply continue.
	Single Leg Circles from Straight 1x each side & each direction		Focus on the rotation of your leg inside of your hip. In the straddle position the leg needs to be externally rotated. When the leg is on top and in the tuck position it needs to be in parallel. Keep both elbows locked and shoulders elevated. Due to the nature of the movement you will have more weight on one side of your body. It is up to you to create the visual illusion of the weight staying perfectly even between your hands. Engage your legs! They make up a significant part of your handstand. Lock your knees, point your feet and squeeze the water out of them.
	Pike Single Leg Circle from Straight - Pike Straddle Straight 2x1 each side		Your knee should face the floor in the straddle and in the pike position. This means you have to externally rotate the leg when you open towards your middle split. Don't just focus on the moving leg. The path it takes should almost be on auto pilot by now. Instead invest mental energy into the immobile leg to keep it perfectly stable and immobile! When combining multiple shapes upside down it is important to stay cool. Move slowly and focus on 1 movement at the time! Do not try to outrun your balance. If you feel like you are losing control: stop, fix your position and only after move on!
	Slow Lower from Handstand 3x		Only when you can not pull any lower lean your shoulders towards the front slightly and lower your hips to allow your feet to travel towards the floor. Close your legs to about shoulder width just before touching the floor to make your legs longer and decrease the distance your hips have to travel Go as slow as possible and try to stay in control the entire time! If you feel like you are about to lose control: Stop and simply try to freeze in place!

Conditioning

Demo	Exercise	Reps/Sets	How to/Cues
	Bench Press to Handstand 3x		All that is left from here is to bring the legs around. Your hips and shoulders should not have to move anymore. Engage your legs! Lock your knees, point your feet and squeeze the water out of them. Lock your elbows, elevate your scapula and look at the spot in between your hands.
	Slow Lower Through Tuck Planche to Knees 4x		Lean your shoulders towards the front and slowly lower your hips until they are level with your shoulders. Focus on keeping protraction. Do not allow your shoulder blades to stick out in the back! Go as slow as possible and try to stay in control the entire time! If you feel like you are going to low and you are about to lose control: Stop and simply try to freeze in place! Lock your elbows! This is a straight arm drill. If you are not training on parallettes consider externally rotating your hands to ease pressure on your wrists.
	Advanced Straight Single Leg Isolation Back to Wall 2x2 each side alternating		Push your glutes and heels into the wall and rotate the leg inside of the hip. Use your lower back muscles to keep your hips in a slight anterior pelvic tilt and stay connected with the wall. Fully lock your elbows, look at your hands and keep your shoulders fully elevated.
	Slow Lower Through Tuck Planche - Back to Wall 4x		Pull your knees into your chest rounding your back. Work on taking 1 vertebrae off the wall at the time. Focus on isolation and go as slow as possible. Externally rotate your hands to ease the pressure on the wrists. Lock your elbows! This is a straight arm drill. If you are not training on parallettes consider externally rotating your hands to ease pressure on your wrists.
	Chest to Wall Press - Negative 4x total		Draw a big circle on the wall by bringing your legs around through the deepest straddle eventually moving into a pancake position to bring your feet down. Resist with your shoulders to keep them open the entire time. Use your back muscles to pull on your hips. Prevent them from slipping into a posterior pelvic tilt for as long as possible. Go as slow as possible and try to stay in control the entire time! If you feel like you are about to lose control: Stop and simply try to freeze in place!
	Bench Zombie to Slow Lower 4x total		As you take your feet off first try to keep your hands, shoulders and hip line active. Use your hip flexors only to pull the feet in. When you can not go any further allow your shoulders to move towards the front and for your hips to dip down. Place your hands shoulder width apart on the floor with your fingers facing towards the front! Lock your elbows and rotate their pits towards the front. Elevate your scapula! Go as slow as possible and try to stay in control the entire time! If you feel like you are going to low and you are about to lose control: Stop and simply try to freeze in place!
	Compression Bird Dog 2x4 each side none alternating		Look at your hand and keep the arm and leg up. Move slow and stay in control at all times! Lock the lifted elbow and knee.
	L Handstand Single Leg Compression 2x3 each side none alternating		Your hands need to be about as far away from he wall as your legs are long. It is better to be too close to the wall than to be too far. Keep one leg parallel to the floor whilst pulling the other foot towards your wrists. Work on keeping your lower back stable and if possible even in a slight anterior pelvic tilt. In case of a temporary lack of hamstring flexibility bend your knees slightly to ease the tension.
	Compression Slide 2x5		Move slowly! The longer this takes the more control and strength you will develop! Engage your legs! Lock your knees, point your feet and squeeze the water out of them. Use your hip flexors and core compression muscles to lift the leg.

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