Headstand Kip to Handstand

 

This is a coordination and timing drill between two skills; the headstand and handstand. The idea with this drill is to learn to use the correct timing of your kip and push off with your hands to help you get into the handstand position.

Objective

• Learn to use the kip motion to help you.
• Learn to push off the floor and kip at the correct time.
• Learn to coordinate your push off and kip.

Prerequisites

• Headstand

Equipment

• None.

Execution

Start by standing on your head (see the headstand article). Lower your legs to horizontal and with a quick motion lift them towards the ceiling. The quick lifting motion is referred to as the “kip”. Just before your legs reach vertical push off the floor with both hands as hard as you can and go into the handstand position.

Stage 1 – Setup (headstand)

Go into the headstand position.

Stage 2 – Compressing

Lower your legs, so you are in an L shape compressed body position.

Stage 3 – Kip

Lift your legs quickly towards the ceiling (“The Kip”). Push hard down at the floor with both hands and extend your arms, as your legs start to reach vertical. Note: Timing is critical here; If you start to extend your arms early in the kip then you are not utilizing the kip to your advantage, and the same is true if you extent too late. It should feel easy and natural when extending your arms as you kip.

Stage 4 – Finishing (handstand)

Stand on your hands. Hold for 2-3 seconds to make sure we have a stable and balanced handstand.

Common Mistakes

Coaches teach gymnasts how to do skills correctly, but most gymnasts learns how to perform the skill correctly when coaches corrects their mistakes. This is not wrong, this is actually how gymnasts learn. This being said, it is very important that coaches corrects mistakes all the time. If a gymnast continues doing the same mistake over and over then they will be good at doing that drill with that mistake and have a difficult time later correcting it.

• Always correct mistakes
• Correct the first mistake you see the gymnast do (even if it is before the actually drill, i.e. the gymnast forgets to stand tall with arms over their head)
• Correct only one thing (sometimes two if they are related)

Mistake 1 – Push Off Timing

Timing is everything! If you extend your arms too early in relation to the kip then you are actually lifting your whole body weight, the same is true if you extend too late. Have a coach help you by telling you when to extend your arms. The extension should be done right before your legs reach vertical.

Warning

Any activity involving motion or height creates the possibility of accidental injury, paralysis or death. The equipment and instructional materials are intended for use ONLY by properly trained and qualified participants under supervised conditions. Use without proper supervision could be DANGEROUS and should NOT be undertaken or permitted. Before using, KNOW YOUR OWN LIMITATIONS and the limitations of the equipment. If in doubt always consult your instructor. Always inspect equipment for loose fittings or damage and test for stability before each use. We will not be liable for injuries or consequences sustained from the use of the instructional materials supplied by us. Use common sense!