How can you make handstand training less boring?
Listen, I get it.
Practicing the same thing over and over again can be boring…
But my friend! You NEED to practice. Especially key exercises and drills for handstands.
As Bruce Lee said,
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
And if you’re looking for something “new”, please be careful not to fall into the trap of “drill seeking”.
Sounds like “thrill seeking”. Kinda similar. Except you go looking for handstand drills that are “funner” and/or “better” than what you are doing now.
It’s like “training program ADD” with gym-goers. You get bored with your routine. See some shiny new exercise on Instagram. Decide to try it out and totally derail your other plan. Bouncing between new and old exercises and getting frustrated because you are not seeing any progress…
Not to say you shouldn’t change your training.
In fact, if you don’t have a solid handstand training plan in place now – better to jump off the losing wagon and get moving on something more aligned with your goals.
That can definitely make your handstand training less boring and more fun. Something you actually look forward to.
(More on that in a moment)
But first, I want you to remember something…
Your Handstand Training Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
Why is it boring?
How are you practicing?
If you are dreading it, maybe your handstand training DOES need an overhaul.
Or if you already have a solid handstand training plan, you can always work on changing how you feel towards training handstands. As well as many other ways you can “spice it up”!
In fact, I’ve got 7 ways to make handstand training less boring.
Read through it.
By the end, you’ll realize handstand training can be fun again! 🙃
7 Ways to Make Handstand Training Less Boring
Alright my handstand training ninja.
How can we make handstand training less boring?
I’ve got 7 ideas I want to discuss with you. These are:
- Change your mindset about handstand training
- Make sure you are improving your handstand
- Develop a proper handstand training plan
- Make handstand training a habit
- Have variety with workouts
- Share your progress
- Learn to love the process
Change Your Mindset About Handstand Training
The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.
Marcus Aurelius
I believe we are all faced with resistance towards moving forward with anything. We get stuck in our tracks. And start to find excuses to why we can’t do the damn thing.
Like sitting down to write this article. I stared at a blank white screen with a blinking line forever trying to come up with what to say to you. Even found myself wandering to the fridge a couple of times. As if something I actually wanted to eat would appear so I could satiate my boredom induced hunger.
But I remembered that every article I publish moves me forward towards my vision. So even though I didn’t feel like tapping the keys… I rolled up my sleeves and dammit… I tapped the keys!
And in the process, I found Momentum. Or as Darren Hardy calls it, Big Mo.
Often, we just need to give ourselves a little nudge. Remind ourselves of the outcome. And remember that once you start, it won’t feel like a burden. Deep down you’ll enjoy it. Especially that feeling of accomplishment after.
Finally, consider end goals vs means. For example, the end goal of a handstand. This is only achieved through the means: all the actions that went into achieving the handstand.
Remember that you cannot have an “end” goal without its respective means. And that everything that goes into the means brings about the ends or goals. That’s a process unfolding in real time. Every time you train.
It’s truly incredible when you think about it. That we can discipline ourselves to perform actions that work towards goals we envision. And we can achieve those goals simply by working on the means.
Make Sure You Are Improving Your Handstand
The handstand requires incredible mental focus, discipline, and physical ability. Not only that, but the body needs to learn proprioception in a way it is not used to.
That only comes with time upside down.
However, not only do you need to learn how to balance in this unnatural upside down space. But you need to improve strength & endurance, mobility & flexibility, and alignment.
Ultimately, you need to condition your body WHILE training its balance AND finding alignment in space.
There’s a LOT that actually goes into one single position. It’s crazy.
Not only that, but you need to consider HOW the body adapts for it (more on that in a moment).
Hint: self-assessment can help.
Video yourself. Check your alignment. Write down what you did for your handstand training workouts. Write down the times and repetitions of everything.
How else will you know if you are improving if you are not keeping track?
So ask yourself this: am I improving my handstand every week?
If the answer is no, then you may have a dud practice…
Develop a Proper Handstand Training Plan
Not only is keeping track of improvements (or lack thereof) important. But what the hell are you even keeping track of?
Do you have a handstand training plan in place? Or are you “just kinda winging it”?
If you have goals for advanced level skills, like 60-second plus freestanding handstands… straddles… tucks… pikes… press to handstand…
…unfortunately, you will never reach those goals if you are not training properly.
What does a good handstand training program require?
Firstly, consider the SAID Principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands). This dictates how your body will adapt to external stressors placed upon it.
This means that the training you do MUST be tailored around handstands. Because the body will then adapt for it: improving strength, flexibility, alignment, and balance.
And not only that, but you have to increase the demand. Otherwise, your body will adapt and you will plateau.
In fact, the foundation of any successful training program relies on Progressive Overload.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people (including coaches/trainers) consider this important principle or apply it to handstand training. That’s a big mistake that costs people YEARS of progress…
Dr. Thomas Delorme came up with “progressive resistance exercise” as a solution to improve current treatment protocols. The idea was that progressively overloading the stress placed upon the body would force it to adapt in response.
He was right. Big time. And it laid the foundation for resistance training as we know it.
Make sure you are increasing variables (training frequency, repetitions, isometric hold times, etc.) over time. Your handstand training should be something that challenges you. Test your limits and make sure you are continually getting better.
That sure makes handstand training less boring. It feels good as you notice yourself getting stronger and advancing phases in your workout plan.
Make Handstand Training a Habit
What we’ve talked about so far is great and all. But won’t do you any good unless you make it habit.
Even if it’s just a beginner handstand training with a few drills that you do consistently, that’s better than NOT training.
Sitting there on the couch wondering about ways to make handstand training less boring is not gonna help. You just have to pump yourself up to get your butt upside down!
The best way I can think of for this is to schedule your training. Otherwise, you’ll fall off that wagon within your first few weeks.
I provide a worksheet for Handstand Mastery members to plan their workout phases. Below is an example illustration for a training suggestion in the Novice phase of the program:
The point is: having a set handstand training schedule will form the habit of practicing frequently. And when you make it a habit, it becomes almost second nature.
And don’t forget: the more you practice, the better you will get. Having a plan that is scheduled will allow you to practice the right things and rapidly speed up the skill development process.
Have Variety
Remember, don’t get caught up looking for the newest, coolest handstand drills.
We’re not looking for a tonne of variety in exercises to get overwhelmed with.
Instead, have set WORKOUTS with specific exercises to focus on.
Having multiple workouts planned throughout your week can allow for variety. More importantly, you need to consider the goal (handstand) and what is involved in attaining / conditioning the body for it.
That requires balance. And alignment. You also need to train for strength and endurance. And don’t forget about mobility and flexibility.
I see an opportunity for 5 workouts just from that.
- Balance workout
- Alignment workout
- Strength & endurance workout
- Mobility & flexibility workout
- Combination workout
That’s plenty of variety.
We have workouts structured around these key areas and more in Handstand Mastery. But the point is: design your workouts around the drills you need to focus on with handstands. Understand where they fit in. And structure your plan around training them respectively.
You might find some areas you need to focus on more than others. For example, maybe you are training your alignment twice per week. And maybe you are already super flexible so you focus more on strength and endurance.
Either way, there are lots of options when constructing your handstand training. This will help make your handstand practice less boring than doing the exact same workout over and over again.
Share Your Progress
This can be a good way to provide accountability. It’s also good for paying attention visually as you track progress. And you get to watch that progress unfold on your feed.
It can also be encouraging as friends and family cheer you on.
Not surrounded by a supportive group? No problem! There are plenty of others working towards similar handstand goals you can find. Use hashtags like #handstand, #handstandpractice, #handstand365, #handstandchallenge, etc. There’s a whole community of folks publishing their progress.
I have witnessed people start logging their progress this way on their feeds. Whether it be learning handstands, losing weight, or improving in any area they are trying to.
It adds a layer of accountability. And provides a visual journal of your progress.
Feel free to also tag @withinmvmnt and/or use #withinmvmnt on Instagram so I can see your progress and cheer you on.
Learn To Love The Process
I know. It’s so cliché even I wanna barf lol. 🤢
But it’s true!
You have to learn to love the process of working towards your goals. It’s not always gonna be fun.
When you learn to love and enjoy the process, it starts to become second nature. Just a part of your lifestyle.
And that’s when results really unfold.
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet
Aristotle
Have patience. Have fun.
Remember that it’s not always going to be easy. Your workouts are meant to challenge you. Embrace them.
Whenever people would ask how I got to be so fit… I always say it is ONLY because I learned to love working out.
Wanting to look good naked will only do so much. You have to genuinely enjoy the action you are taking to get there.
And remember, your handstand practice will only be boring if you let it be.
Try some of the 7 ways to make handstand training less boring listed above. I’m sure you’ll find that motivation you need to keep going.
Happy handstanding! 🙃
Jason
PS – Did you find anything helpful here? Let me know in the comments what stuck out for you the most. Or if you have any other ideas on how you make handstand training “less boring” – I’m happy to hear your thoughts.