America Peals

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Tucker from at GSX CrossFit. Tucker is the resident CrossFit expert in gymnastics and I had serious questions for Tucker on old women (me) doing handstands for the first time in their life.

The post not only got me on a regime of practicing HSPU by placing feet on tallest plyometric box and walking my hands in as much as a I could. I actually got feedback from several CF coaches and their technique for beginners.

Coach Keith Wittenstein from CrossFit Virtuosity in Brooklyn (also a former balls to the wall coach of mine) wrote,

(This pic is the serious side of Keith)

“As a coach trying to teach a beginner how to handstand I look for a few things at the outset.

• Can the person support their weight on their hands? I look at their ability to hold the top of a push up position. This lets me know that they have some shoulder stability and strength. Also I might see if they can support their full bodyweight on parallel bars. Can they do a push up?

• Can the person open up their shoulder angle? I like to see them be able to downward facing dog with a completely open (180*) shoulder angle.

• Can the person engage their core (i.e. Hollow)? I like to see the person demonstrate good midline stability by doing some hollow rock exercises and some other exercises.

• Finally, can the person follow directions? Being upside down is disorienting and people tend to freak out. I have been kicked the face numerous times by people that cannot follow directions and spaz out the second they go upside down. So I am more cautious about who I take upside down. If they cannot follow my directions leading up to the handstand then I am not going to take them upside down.

• After an athlete has demonstrated competence in the above-mentioned characteristics, then I proceed to taking them upside down. If they have never been upside down before, I might start them in a pushup position and then slowly lift their legs up to vertical. Sometime I might have them do a downward facing dog with their heels against a wall and then walk their legs up the wall and gradually walk their hands closer to the wall.

If they are more athletic, then I might teach them to kick up to a handstand.”

Now, I chose to share this information from Keith for a variety of reasons.

When I was under his tutelage, I loathed the man. LOATHED. He was direct about my weight and would never stop talking about my diet.  At the time, I  was living in NY, hating my job and not wanting whatsoever to acknowledge that I was heavy and not athletic. And, all I thought was just let me do the damn CrossFit and the weight would come off. But, Keith persisted about keeping a food log.  And, its not until a year later, I recognize the import of his message and food. Its my loss that I couldn’t see that a year ago.

From a CrossFit Virtuosity blog post yesterday, I ask you to read this inspiring tale of a young man who weighed 260 lbs his first day at CrossFit Virtuosity and puked after a 500 meter row.  I will say no more other than: read, read, read…SHOWING UP.  I have a lot to learn from this kid in this story. Way to go Mat!