Where is everyone?
Did level 1 from the handbook at www.american-gymnast.com

Had a 2.5 hour gymnastics practice today, so I think that can qualify for the WOD ;)

Jim, Kevin,

Perhaps this was the toughest WOD to date?

Coach

I got this one in late tonight. I'm playing catch up again (did the 30 rep C&J this morning). Partitioned the hour as follows:

5 minutes - kicking up to handstand on the floor. A couple of times I had to bail and go to a forward roll. My traps were screaming in pain from even the slightest impact.

35 minutes - tried to master the 1/2 pirouette on the p-bars. Although I made the hand transition about a dozen times, I could only maintain my handstand post rotation two times. When I explained to Julia what I was trying to accomplish she proceeded to do a headstand 1/2 pirouette on our couch - to bad breakdancing isn't still in style.

20 minutes - handstand walking. I was trying to start in my bedroom, walk across it, through the hallway, across the living room and into the kitchen. Didn't quite make it that far. Had several walks that were about 15 feet and one that was about 30 feet (where I made it to the living room).

This handstand business was a lot easier when I only weighed 175#.

A fun workout, all the blood is resting at the top of my head after an hour practicing hand stands. I can almost hold one for nearly 15 seconds!

Sean

I had a few busy days last week where I didn't sleep for a few days. To stay awake, I kicked into a handstand every 15 minutes or so. So after 60 hours of handstands my shoulders, wrists, etc were aching. But I did really improve my handstands during this time. I could get 30s-60+s static holds, but very inconsistently. After that 60 hour intensive, I am more consistently getting long holds.
I am sitting on the bottom of the wave now, practicing them once or twice a day to maintain and recuperate, but it will be fun during finals week when I hit another tidal wave!
Working planches has helped a lot too. Especially for those handstands that don't start out too well. Developing planche strength and awareness of when to use it seems to be pretty important. Coach, what do you think?

Stiff in the middle of my back this am. I think all the static holding and tensing really got to me. Or maybe it was when I fell over trying to do a 1 arm HS hold against the wall.

Finally got smart and pulled the cushions off the couch after landing without grace a few times during presses. Got a few presses into the handstand but couldn't hold them. After my shoulders were too beat to do anymore pressing, I alternated between wall walking with books and a 6" stool as obstacles and barely supported static holds. The longest hold I had was 10 seconds w/o support after taking a step from the wall. Maintaining a "filled" lower back seems to be critical.

Unsupported handstands and levers are still ungoing struggles for me.

I agree with you Tyler, planches are important for learning the press - I have to lean forward to start the press or my butt won't come off the floor!

Worked on negative full-range HSPUs from the parallettes, kicking up into handstands as "softly" as possible (trying to wean from the wall); wall-walking with and without books; static holds on floor and on parallettes. Got a few baby holds with no wall contact. I just can't get a press to handstand though!