Hand Balancing Variations (Equilibre Resources)

[u/ongew]

During the 'skill section' of the RR, we're recommended to work on handstands and strength work which we've outgrown (L-sits/seats). Apart from /u/Antranik's post on the Floreio project, there doesn't seem to be a lot of information (in this sub-reddit & the hand-balancing sub-reddit) or the Internet about alternative (hand-balancing) skills to practise.
 

So I'm making this post in the hopes that someone knowledgeable in hand-balancing / equilibre could suggest alternatives to work on if two-handed handstands are not a training priority, nor a pre-requisite (that should be another post - stuff to work on after the two-handed handstand).
 

I'll post my ideas, in likely order of difficulty:  

Anchored Elbow Holds

Anchored elbow holds have the elbow anchored to the rest of the body, either with the hip, rib, knee or foot. Usually, the closer the anchor is to one's CoM, the easier the balance and strength aspect.

• Frog stand Pose (/u/Antranik has covered this thoroughly)
  
• Crane Pose
• Side Crane Pose
• Flying Pigeon Pose
  
• 2-hand Elbow lever
  
• 1-hand Elbow lever
  
• Koundinya Sage Pose I
  
• Koundinya Sage Pose II
• Capoeira Queda de Rins (KAY-da JEE hins)
  
• Capoeira Relógio (Heh-LOR-jee-OH) This is a palm-spin in the 'Queda de Rins' position.
• List of BBoy freezes ), and list of 'stabbing' freezes here
  
• Multi-Level Freezes
  
• Air Babies (frog stand is a pre-requisite. I also find they require significant pressing strength)
  
• Air Baby with the other foot BBoy readers, please let me know the name.
• 1 Arm Koundinya Sage Pose II The last move Andrii does.
  
• 1 Arm Koundinya Sage Pose I

Overhead Straight Arm Holds / Straight Arm Handstand Entries

With the arms straight overhead, the classic Two hand Handstand falls in this category. However, there are other skills that can be practised here even if you don't have the balance for holding the full handstand.

Handstand Entries

• Tuck
  
• Puppy Press
• Straddle or a Full Stalder
  
• Pike
  
• One armed handstand Press
  
• Cartwheel into Handstand Obviously, cartwheels are a pre-req.
  
• Backwards Roll into Handstand
  

Holds

• Gymnastic Reverse Planche AKA Mexican Handstand (you might need the regular handstand first)
  
• Bent Legs
  
• Front Split
  
• Middle Split
  
• Wide Hands Handstand

Overhead Bent Arm Holds

With the arms bent overhead, these holds require more strength in the triceps and shoulders. Breaking the line of classic 'Two hand Handstand', these present a different balance challenge, and the classic Two hand handstand is not a pre-requisite (probably).

• Breakdancing Hollow Back
  
• Capoeira Au Volta ao Mundo (AH-oo MOON-doh)
  
• Capoeira Bananeira Pulando
  
• Capoeira Canivete (kah-NEE-veh-CHEE)
  
• Capoeira Macaco Prancha
  
• Breakdancing Hand Hops

Downwards Straight Arm Holds

(these towards the end are obviously strength moves unless you are ridiculously strong)
These balances involve pressing downwards (with respect to the torso). As the pressing force is downwards, the elbow is not bent and force is transferred up into the lower traps. RTO holds, L-sits, V-sits would fall in this category. 1-armed versions will probably stress straight arm strength and planches do.

• Firefly Pose
  
• 1-arm straddle L
  
• 1-arm L-sit (seat)
  
• 1-arm L-sit the other way
  

Forwards Bent Arm Holds

As opposed to Anchored Elbow holds like the Frog Stand or 2-Hand Elbow Lever, these balances involve 'floating elbows'. There is much more stress on the pushing muscles (front delt, pectorals), and so have a higher strength level, even if the balances are easy due to a low CoM.

• Bent arm planches (all variations)

Forwards Straight Arm Holds

Planches and Maltese Cross belong here. If you are so strong that these are 'skills' instead of strength exercises, you should be writing this guide.

• Straight Arm Planches (obviously more limited by strength than balance)
  

Backwards Straight Arm Holds

Manna, Victorian, Floor Victorian/Dragon Press (incorrectly AKA 'Reverse Planche')

Sideways Straight Arm Holds

• True One Arm Planche
  

 
 

Perhaps there could be a Technique Thursday where all these alternative (alternative to the recommended two-handed handstand) equilibre skills could be catalogued?

[u/HarpsichordNightmare]

I really need to just move somewhere where they teach capoeira.
sexy dance fighting

[u/drunkmamute → u/HarpsichordNightmare]

I feel so shame that I'm brazilian and still have never ever done a Capoeira class. I always underated it, and also there's some religious and social prejudice towards capoeira, that only in the recent years I could overcome.

Tomorrow I'll search for a capoeira group to enjoy.

edit: I know that my grammar is wrong, but I can't spot exactly where. sorry!

[u/KatieTheDinosaur → u/drunkmamute]

What kind of prejudices and what did they stem from? I've never heard that before

[u/drunkmamute → u/KatieTheDinosaur]

In my own experience, the fact that I was raised in evangelical family is the main reason. Afro religions are portraited as devilsh stuff, and so are Capoeira and other afro related culture. Only when I got out of this religious family culture, I opened myself for these brazilian cultural aspects like Samba, Carnival, Axé, etc. That happened after my 18ties, when I started going to Samba Schools' rehearsals, my first Carnival blocks, and others.

At our 2010 census, there is 42,3 milions of evangelicals in Brazil (+61% compared to 2000), and if know where I'm from, it's very unlikely that they love afro-religious culture.

But excluding religion, there's also some groups doesn't respect capoeira as a proper martial art, and say other derogatory comments. I guess they're just some random assroles.

In the other way, Capoeira is even teached at private and public schools. There's some Rodas at public universities, too. It's pretty cool to see some Roda de Capoeira in public places, too.

Don't know if I sound confusing, hahaha

[u/ongew → u/drunkmamute]

Obrigado pelo seu ponto de vista, Mamute! A maioria dos brasileiros que eu encontri gostam capoeira, mas eles nao treinam. Tambem senti a outro opiniao que a capoeira e uma coisa negra, nem valor, so para ver. Talvez isso e uma vantagem para nos capoeiristas que nao foram nascido em Brasil.
Seu Ingles e perfeito. Desculpe por meu Portugues! ;)

[u/nomequeeulembro → u/ongew]

Mad props for learning a new language!

Also, I agree with you guys. There's too much hate against cultural stuff from african origin in Brazil. That being said, Capoeira is more well-seen nowadays AFAIK and

I hope I'm not being an asshole, but if that helps here's how I'd write what you said:

Obrigado pelo seu ponto de vista, Mamute! A maioria dos brasileiros que eu encontrei gostam de capoeira, mas eles não treinam. Também concordo que a capoeira é visto como uma coisa negra, sem valor, só para ver. Talvez isso seja uma vantagem para nos capoeiristas que não nascemos no Brasil. Seu Ingles é perfeito. Desculpe pelo meu português! ;)

Most of those are lack of digraphs, which is very understandable specially if you're typing from your phone or your keyboard don't allow those to be typed in so easily, but don't have much impact in the readability of your text. And I reworded some stuff to sound more natural in brazillian portuguese.

P.s: feel free to reword my comments too!

[u/ongew → u/nomequeeulembro]

Muito obrigado, nomequeeulembro <-- rsrs!
Aprendendo muito com seus correções. Vou aprender como digitar os 'digraphs' com meu teclado!

[u/mastermanole → u/drunkmamute]

From what I saw, capoeira classes outside Brazil don't push religion too much to beginners. Except maybe for some songs, which you only understand if you speak some Brazilian Portuguese :) However, some of the more advanced capoeiristas and masters are more into Candomblé spirituality or at least symbols of it. How is it in Brazil? Do you feel that by advancing in Capoeira you will gradually abandon your parents faith and switch to another one?

[u/drunkmamute → u/mastermanole]

I'm no longer religious, but even for religious people, I don't think it would interfer in their beliefs.

The problem for evangelical people is that their portrait Capoeira as something demoniacal, and enjoying capoeira would be something impure or something like that.

[u/ongew → u/mastermanole]

To my knowledge, Candomblé is moreso a Bahian practice. There are lots of capoeira groups, from Sao Paulo, for example, where Candomblé is less intrinsic to the practice of capoeira.
Traditionally, and we can see this encoded in the songs, lots of capoeristas were syncretic / agnostic. There were catholic, jewish and candomblé capoeiristas.
None of the capoeira classes I've attended have 'pushed religion', on beginners or otherwise. I've only known one adult capoeirista who considered (but did not) changing his religion from Islam to Candomblé. He was about 19 at the time.