HANDSTAND

ESSENTIAL FLEXIBILITY

DemoExerciseReps/SetsHow to/Cues
1 Legged Good Morning
8x each side
Hold your hips in a slight anterior pelvic tilt, keep your back straight and guide the movement with your coccyx.
"Keep your shoulders low and pull them together in the back. Actively push your elbows back as well. Keep your hips and shoulders squared. "
Move slow and focus on muscle engagement, alignment and balance.
Back Reaching Upper Body Lift on Stomach
4x each side
Reach back with 1 arm at the time. Follow this hand with your gaze and look back past your shoulder.
Open your legs past hip width and keep our feet pointed on the floor the entire time.
Keep your shoulders depressed, work the entire range of motion and fully relax your muscles between reps.
Shoulder Opener on Knees
40sec
Lock your elbows and slightly depress your shoulders.
Place your knees far enough so they are behind the hips and not right underneath them.
Once your rib cage is approaching the floor start pushing your hips towards the hands for an additional stretch.
Superman Straddle
8x
Squeeze for a moment on top of the lift.
Lock your knees and elbows fully.
Lift your head with your upper body and gaze at your hands.
Upper Back Mobility Elbow Raise - on Knees
8x each side
Look at the floor at all times.
Hover your forehead off the floor and keep your glutes close to your heels.
Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.
Foam Roller Sphinx
6x
Keep your elbows close to your body as you pull them back. Engage your back to keep your upper body at a consistent height.
Keep your shoulders low and head in a neutral position.
Engage your legs and keep your feet about hip width apart.
Active 2 Step Cobra
2x20sec



Deep Plie - Chest to Wall
8x
Place your feet on the floor wide enough so that at the bottom of your plie the knees are on top of the center of your feet.
Push your hips towards the wall and your knees away.
Keep your lower back straight and aim to bring your hips in 1 horizontal line with the knees in each rep.
Half Wood Chopper
8x
Straighten your back. Ideally even arch your lower back slightly and place your hips in an anterior pelvic tilt.
Delay your chest raising up and look at your hands as they guide the upwards movement.
Keep your knees fully locked at all times.
Standing Diagonal 1 Legged Pike Stretch
40sec each side
Place your front foot out towards the side but keep it pointing towards the front.
Lock both of your knees and keep them locked at all times.
Work on keeping your hips and shoulders squared.
Standing Diagonal 1 Legged Pike Table
20sec each side
Focus on your anterior pelvic tilt first. Keep your back slightly arched and reach with your belly button towards your toes.
Place your weight equally between both feet.
Lock both of your knees and keep them locked at all times.
Runners Stretch Reps
8x each side
Keep your hips on top of the back knee at all times.
Lengthen your hamstring from both ends by flexing your front foot.
Lock the front knee and push the bottom of the knee towards the floor.
Runners Stretch Pulses
8x each side
Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.
Place your hips on top of your back knee.
Keep your front knee fully locked and push the bottom of the knee into the floor. Place your hands further in front to increase difficulty.
Side Runners Stretch Pulses
8x each side
Pull your hips into an anterior pelvic tilt as you flex your foot to lengthen your hamstring from both ends.
Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.
Place your hips on top of your back knee.
External Rotation Extension
4x each
Keep your back straight. Do not arch it during retraction or round it during protraction.
Depress your shoulders and keep them squared with your shoulders.

Cleopatra Combi
4x each
Use your back muscles to rise up.
Fully lock your back knee.
Don't allow your knee to move as you extend it. Actively pull the leg into a deep stretch.
Middle Split Slide
8x each side
Fully straighten your leg and engage your quads to protect the knee from injuries. This knee should be pointing towards the front. Your opposite knee needs to be exactly 90 degrees bent.
Stay in line as you push your leg towards the side and bring your hips down.
On the way back up push that foot of the straight leg into the floor and the opposite hip down.
Frog
40sec
Keep your upper body straight and parallel to the floor.
Point your feet and keep both knees 90 degrees bent.
With every exhale slide into a deeper stretch.
Frog - Rocking
40sec
Gently push into a deeper stretch by rocking your hips back and front.
Keep your upper body straight and parallel to the floor.
Point your feet and keep both knees 90 degrees bent.
Middle Split on Elbows
2x40sec
Make sure your feet, knees & hips are in 1 straight line. Your knees should be pointing towards your head.
Keep your upper body straight and parallel to the floor.
Slide into a slightly deeper stretch every time you exhale.
Middle Split - with Elastic on Elbows
40sec
Make sure your feet, knees & hips are in 1 straight line. Your knees should be pointing towards your head.
Keep your upper body straight and parallel to the floor.
Slide into a slightly deeper stretch every time you exhale.
Active Leg Rotations on Back
8x
Without moving your hips internally and externally rotate your legs to their fullest potential each time.
Make sure your hips stay straight. Do not allow them to rotate into a posterior pelvic tilt.
Fully lock your knees.
Single Leg V-Up Combi
6x





WordPress Video Lightbox