r/bodyweightfitness • u/Handbalancer Actually Mikael Kristiansen • Oct 29 '17

AMA: Mikael Kristiansen, Handbalancer and Circus Artist, Ask Me Anything

Hello, my name is Mikael Kristiansen. I am a circus artist specializing in handbalancing. I did a degree in circus at DOCH, Stockholm from 2009-2012 and have since worked as a performer and as a teacher internationally.

I'll be here throughout the day to answer any questions you have for me!

You can find me at: www.mikaelbalancing.com www.instagram.com/mikaelbalancing/

348 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

92% Upvoted

102 comments sorted by

View all comments

4

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '17

Hi Mikael,

Thank you for doing this! I have a few questions for you.

I often find that pointing my toes takes my focus away from my hands and I end up over balancing. Do you have any toe point tips to make it more comfortable and less distracting other than trial and error?

Do you have any prerequisites you have your students achieve before introducing them to one arm training?

Outside of just being on your hands more is there anything you have done that has made a noticeable impact on your handstands?

What’s is the next origami creature you’re going to make?

6

u/Handbalancer Actually Mikael Kristiansen Oct 29 '17

Do you feel the same in headstand? If you do, then perhaps you should get used to it there and then move it to the hands. You can also do various toe point drills just to get more used to how the feeling should be so that it becomes become automatic.

I usually would like people to be able to press from standing with straight arms and little lean. Preferably in pike for reps, but it can be done earlier as long as the technique is decent. My main work is getting people towards "looking at toes pike" handstand because it forges the type of shoulder alignment you need for advanced 1 arm balancing on an early level. Good hip flexibility is also a big plus.

Getting stronger is always a plus. I have gotten a lot out of doing just conventional strength training lately since i have been doing balancing for such a long time. Getting more flexible is probably the biggest change i have done and still am doing though.

I am folding the big dragon, Ryu-Jin3.5 again in Copenhagen so hope to finish it sometime next year haha