How to straighten your handstand for gymnastics

This is an animated gymnastics tutorial for how to straighten your handstand. Use the controls to pause, slow down and follow along with detailed step by step text instructions that match up with each movement. This instructional gymnastics video is incredibly in depth and a great guide for learning how to straighten your handstand.

Straighten your Handstand - Gymnastics

This exercise will help you improve the extension of your handstand. Many people relax their back too much and wobble around with their legs when they are trying to do a handstand. Being able to do a perfect straight handstand, will also improve your back and front handsprings.

Technical description: Straight Handstand - Gymnastics Exercise

* Lie down and bend round your back slightly, so that only your lower back touches the floor. Contract your abdominals slightly.
* Extend your legs and your feet. ( keep your back round - don't hollow )
* Then bring your shoulders to the ears and fully extend your arms in one line with your upper body. The further you move your hands back, the harder is for the abs to hold this position. At the beginning it is okay if you extend your arms vertical over the chest. The correct form is extending the arms in one line with the upper body, but for some people this might be too difficult at the beginning. When you are good at this and have strong abdominals, try to lean back far enough to almost touch the floor with your hands. Keep in mind that the back "HAS TO" stay rounded. Don't hollow your back. Keep the distance between you fingers and the toes as far as possible. Extend, extend, extend.
* Find the right combination of extension and abdominal strength. The further you stretch your finger tips away from your toes, the harder for your abdominal muscles. Hold for approximately 10 seconds.