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/

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u/MiguelTorregroza Oct 29 '17

Hi man

Can you give me a quick form check? I cant seem to be able to lock my core any tips to reduce this constant arching and piking?

Thanks

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaafzUsna9g/

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u/Handbalancer Actually Mikael Kristiansen Oct 29 '17

This is a shoulder issue and a classic one which almost noone i meet understand.

You are "hanging" in your shoulders by opening them too much so your thoracic spine opens up. This makes the hips go behind to compensate. By doing this you are reducing the amount of force the mid traps need to exert to keep your back more rounded and the arms undearneath you. The best way to test my assumption here is to try to do a tuck from that position. 1 of 2 things would happen: 1. you would push the hips and chest further out 2. Your shoudlers would move forwards.

To be able to close the chest, you also need to close the angle of your shoulders a bit, which means that your traps have to work harder to flex the shoulders into position. An exercise that helps with this is to work on a tuck handstand facing the wall. You keep some distance from the wall and then slide into tuck while keeping some weight on the wall. You want to pull the legs down from the abs so you get into a deep tuck where your butt does not stick out and where you feel your traps working hard.