What is the best way to teach a handstand?

John NurseCoach, England

Doing a handstand helps a child develop body coordination. A handstand is something a child must learn if he or she is interested in participating in gymnastics.

The following steps will show you how to teach a child the basic handstand.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Start off teaching a few exercises to get the child ready to do a handstand. Build up the strength in the arms and wrists with exercises such as push-ups and the child will have a better success rate at a handstand.

Step 2

Show the child how to stand using correct body posture a straight back and legs straight. Arms should be lifted up at the ears above the head with fingers pointed upward.

Step 3

Instruct the child to fall forward, then put one foot out in front of them with their leg bent in a lunge position to support their weight. If the child is right-handed, have them lunge with the right foot.

Step 4 Tell the child to let their body do a kind of seesaw on the lunged foot as they lean forward and begin to put their weight on their hands. The left foot should go up with toes pointed. Help them by supporting their weight with one hand on their stomach and one on their back as they go up into a handstand.

Step 5 Help them raise the lunged foot up with the other foot as they lift them both into the air with toes pointed.

Step 6 Assist the child with their posture as they are in the handstand. Teach them to keep their back straight, not bowed out and show them how to make a line with their body.

Step 7 Encourage the child to practice this over and over. As they get better at it, start letting go of them so they do the handstand themselves. In time, they will be able to do it without assistance.

Tips & Warnings

* The arms should touch the ears as the child lands on their hands. Children will have a tendency to reach outward with their hands as they fall forward.

* The child should have nothing in his pockets that could fall out while upside down. It's a distraction that could cause a bad fall.