Handbalancing

[RickyVT]

Just made a new video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP3g0FXfg3A

And I cut my other video in half and its on youtube now as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c2Ilx2RgIQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kxdzr9pBUQ

[RickyVT]

I made a mistake today. . .I forgot to bring my camera to the gym! Which really sucks because my session today felt spectacular. I have never been so stable . . . EVER! I was truly having a grand time on my hands. I did about 5 really long holds, transitioning from tuck, tuck with 90 degree legs and as open shoulders as I could get, half straddle, and full handstand. I was actually had times on my hands were I just stood there and thought about what I wanted to do next and then just transitioned! I found me weight staying right around the ball of my hand, right where its supposed to be, and I was making the smallest and least frequent corrections that I have ever made. I came down smiling after every hold. I, of course, ended my session with some very successful wall work (need to make a video of some of my wall drills I have made up that have really helped me out!).

I just love the days when everything just works!

The fun and obsession continues. . . my friends just dont understand lol

[RickyVT]

Another fun handbalancing day, not as good as monday but still some good practice. I also decided to do a check up on my deadlift capability and I blew my other PR out of the water. I pulled a not so tough 345 pounds. My first attempt I failed miserably and didnt even get the bar off the ground, it bent a lot, but didnt budge I took a step back waited about a minute took a deep breath aggressively approached the bar got my grip settled and pulled, once I got the bar off the floor I pulled to lockout with some, but definitely not max, effort. I set the weight down with a room rattling thud, gave myself a minute break and pulled it agian and this pull was easier than the first. I guess I got over my fear of the heavy weight. I then called it a day and did some prehab. I actually randomly meet one of my friends at the weight room and he saw my last pull and said that it "was really fast and looked easy!" I was like "Thanks! ya, it really wasnt that bad." I said thanks for the compliment and headed home. I can tell you one thing; there is no better high than smashing a PR with little effort. I felt ABSOLUTLY nothing in my lower, or mid back when I did the pull. I felt a little in my legs, it felt like I was on my 2nd set of 5 single leg squats (out of 3 or 5 sets I usually do depending on the day). My forearms and grip were fine, a little skin pullage on my hands but thats normal. The biggest strain felt like it was in my traps and shoulder girdle as I focused on keeping my arms from popping off lol Man that was a fun night at the gym! I weighed myslef right after I did the pulls and I weigh in at a slim 162 pounds, so I have gained a solid 7 pounds on lean mass and an easy-peasy 30 pounds on my deadlift! I am LOVING THIS!!

[jsimons]

Wow! That is some impressive progress! How long did it take you togain those 7 pounds? I weigh about 152 lbs and I would like to gain some weight as well. Also, have you been deadlifting regularly or is this increase from sls and squids? Thanks for posting, I always enjoy reading your posts.

[RickyVT]

I started trying to gain in November (if I recall correctly). I basically took December off, I had some time off school and just visited with family most of the month so I basically just did prehab and maintenance work. Started working at gaining again in January and have made slow steady progress. I try to deadlift every 7-10 days, this is all my body can take combined with the bodyweight work. I alternate between heavy and fatbar work. Sometimes I sprinkle in some other lifting if I feel like my body can take it. I will do things like high pulls, from the ground or hang, and front squats. Those combined with deadlifting are all I really do in the weight room besides some maltese/victorian presses for my elbows. I do my best to run twice a week as well.

Over the past month I have putting on about 1 pound a week, I just weighed myself every Friday and 1 pound is the average. I dont know if I can maintain this pace but I would be happy with just 0.5 pounds a week. I think I might take a recovery week next week, I just have to see how I feel come this Friday.

[RickyVT]

I think I over did it today. . . yep definitely did. . . just seems to happen on Mondays. I am fully recovered from a weekend of rest and ready to rock out and I rocked out HARD today Got in some great handbalancing work too, and I filmed most of it, I think I will put it together at the end of the week when I have a bit more footage. I filmed some of my wall drills as well just in case anyone was interested. I do a bunch of wall drills to try out leg positions and such, seems to work fine but a hand spot would be ideal Fun time, now to try and get 10 hours of sleep if the DOMs/hunger will let me lol

[palmcron]

I'd appreciate, if you could include your current state of the freestanding headstand in your video

Looking forward to seeing your wall-drills!

[RickyVT]

Had 40 ish second stand yesterday, I didnt watch the video yet I just looked at the time and took off some seconds for the tuck up.

[RickyVT]

Poo, I didnt record the longest/best hold of the week! Well, anyways I dont really have enough footage to put anything together at the moment. I think a vid a week is a bit much anyways. It will be difficult to see any improvements since handstand progress is measured in months/years most of the time anyways. If I keep my footage organized (gasp! I have to keep track of everything! ) I should be able to put together something every month or so, if I remember to take as much video as I can. I always get funny looks at the gym when I bust out my camera everyone always asks and bugs me about it. I really need to make my little handstand board to use at my house because the soft carpet really messes me up when I get to the gym and practice on the hard floor! I also have a problem with slippery hands as my holds get longer I start to sweat and when I press with my fingers they slip around lol Chalk has helped but when I forget its kind of scary

Well, anyways, I worked on my QDR for the first time in a while on Friday and I think my one arm elbow lever work has carried over because I am getting some decent holds with just one arm (right side only, left is still a little gimptastic as always lol ) Will try to remember to take video of the QDR work as well.

[RickyVT]

Havent felt like messing with my camera all week so I am getting no new footage. But I sure am having a great time practicing. I was smiling a lot during my little 45 minute practice session today. My one arm QDR is coming along nicely and I am so close to picking my finger up on my airbaby on my right side! I think I will start bouncing my finger on and off the floor very soon! My left side is still at 3 fingers on both the QDR and airbaby lol my left side is so gimp and I even give it extra sets. Finished up the workout with 3 sets of 10 reps of fatbar deadlifts with 165 pounds, 3 sets of a ring strength series and 3 sets of 10 second L-sit (as wide as I can hold my arms) press to 10 second straddle L on the low rings (didnt feel like doing any more muscle ups lol ).

My weight gain has stalled over the past 2 weeks so I added in 3 (at least) more pieces of fruit a day to try and increase my calories. I just walk around feeling full all the time and I still jam an apple, banana or pair down my throat every chance I get, for example I ate 5 apples today and I might have another before I go to sleep!

I am surprised that I am still having so much fun with my handstand work. . . I have never really done anything that I truly enjoy this much . . .even when I have ‘bad’ days I still have a blast.