The handstand has been a staple
inversion of yoga for millennia, and yet so few
people are able to perform it. Why is that?
Most people, especially those of
the recent vogue "strength coach" genre, presume
that an inability to perform a handstand is
caused by a strength deficit. However, in most
cases there are particular technical impediments
that cause a 'leakage' of force, and as a result
make the performance of this movement poor if
not impossible.
CST specializes in
movement mastery - in taking off the brakes as
much as pressing on the accelerator. This
article demonstrates through personal example
how that process works.
I extracted this example from a recent (and
great!) interaction with CST Iota Instructor
Candidate Brian Bentz. You can find the original
thread here on the RMAX Forum:
http://www.rmaxinternational.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10217
Brian stated his goals and desired outcomes
clearly.
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Brian Bentz wrote: |
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Performing a handstand has
been a skill I've wanted since I was a
kid. I never felt safe or strong enough to
do more than a headstand against a wall.
My training efforts thus far have made it
possible to do a freestanding headstand
and forearm stand.
I am currently working on a deficit that
is keeping me from locking my left elbow
under weight (side plank pose), and making
use of my structure. I will need that
before I will feel safe doing a handstand.
I am uncomfortable and scared whenever my
feet are over my head, even in 'safer'
situations. I'll need to face this fear if
I’m going to perform this activity without
the support of a wall. |
Throughout the course of pursuing these goals
Brian makes note of a repeating issue that has
appeared in his shoulder: “4/4/06: got a nice
RPD6 zinger in my right shoulder from weed
whacking the lawn for too long with my head
down. As soon as I felt it tighten up, I knew my
head had been too far forward for too long!”
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Brian Bentz wrote: |
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4/5/06: Shoulder stiffened
up overnight, had trouble sleeping.
Realized it was a neck issue radiating,
rather than an issue with levator scap.
Infinites with spine was only thing that
led to lasting RPD reduction (RPD1 most of
the day)
Made about a dozen attempts to handstand
against the shed wall. Still not quite
getting up there, but I'm hovering for
1-2s at apex so I know I'm getting closer.
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Brian Bentz wrote: |
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4/6/06: RPD1 in neck, still
tight in back right quadrant. Handstands
against wall: lots of failures, but 5
successes! The last two I didn't even slam
into the wall! Arms held up well.
Practiced small pushups and lowering
slowly. 4th attempt left some discomfort
in R shoulder. 5th attempt was mildly
painful.
My handstands were noticeably compressing
wrists, some residual tension in R elbow.
neck, wrist, elbow (open & closed) &
shoulder circles. Was not able to
completely resolve elbow tension. R should
resolved after about an hour, still sounds
crunchy but that's been par for the course
for a while now
Can feel spine starting to tighten up,
will need to be doing more compensatory
work to balance/unravel it.
Feel like I passed a lifelong milestone
today, getting my first handstand. What's
seems odd to me is that it’s actually only
a mile on this particular exploration. |
At that point individuals on the Forum began to
offer suggestions regarding gymnastic (sport)
handstands rather than fitness/healthy
handstands. I intervened, asking for photos of
his performance.
He responded by posting photos, and he again
threw out a satellite regarding his right
shoulder.
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Brian Bentz wrote: |
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Hand placement is one question I have. I
can tell already my tendency is to rotate
them slightly outward. I tried to rotate
them straight while up against the wall to
see how it felt, but i don't think I quite
made it before coming down. Looks like I'm
leaning to my right somewhat...
The actual route I took was, did I trust
my arms and shoulders enough to test my
fears about pile driving my head into the
ground. Then, how do I get my hips and
legs up there, then, oh wait, where are my
hands?
I'd definitely like to figure out the R
shoulder issue. It's shown up at some
inopportune times in the last 6 months,
but it could be much older. Its the
noisiest joint I have (left hip is a close
second). |
I introduced a CST exercise for
mobility screening. From the photos I suspected
that it was an issue of Arm Lock. The bent
elbows may be due to issues with the lack of
outward rotation causing a compensatory stress
on the shoulders, because he was holding the
position more with muscular action and less with
structure.
I asked him to perform the following:
1. Establish the top position of
a pushup with elbow pits pointing forwards
(towards the head) and elbow pointing backwards
(towards the hips). This is the same position
that the arms would be in for a proper Flag
Position in Clubbell swinging.
2. Establish proper Arm Lock in front standing,
with arms parallel to the ground (as if holding
two Clubbells™ in Flag Position). Extend hands
flat as though holding hands against a door,
fingers pointing upward. Maintaining proper Arm
Lock and Shoulder Pack, lift arms overhead as if
moving into a handstand (or Clubbell Torch
Position). Elbow pits should be facing to the
rear, and slightly (at most 45 degree angle)
pointing inwards towards each other.
3. Perform a Downward Dog pose while keeping
elbow pits rotated outward and forwards, as in
the above drill.
The photos appeared to confirm my intuition
regarding the lack of Arm Lock. The movement
screening corroborated:
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Brian Bentz wrote: |
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I am practicing the arm
positioning in the first exercise. At
first my elbow pits were way turned to the
inside, not up, when I opened my hands. To
get there, I'm finding I have to get my
shoulders to rotate out while doing that.
It’s proving a little challenging. It’s an
odd feeling, my shoulders feel like their
screwing outward, but my wrists inward, to
maintain that position. |
At that point it became pertinent
to determine if this was caused by a prior
injury. If so, it should be referred to a proper
health care professional. If not, it would most
likely be an issue that resulted from specific
conditioning. Everything is a product of
specific conditioning. With that in mind, I
asked Brian if he had ever injured his elbows or
shoulders. If the answer was no, I asked him to
fill me in on his prior training background; how
he used to train.
If he had no injuries, I would suggest that he
keep working the basic drill with outward elbow
rotations daily. I advised him not to push the
range of motion any farther than a feeling of
slight discomfort. I suggested that he not
practice his handstand for a couple weeks until
the issue resolved.
Brian responded with the information that I
needed to form an experienced CST hunch:
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Brian Bentz wrote: |
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To my recollection, I've
never seriously injured either. I had
carpal tunnel syndrome in R wrist for a
while from my programming years? Very
right hand dominant... no bones broken. I
played baseball when i was a kid, wrestled
for 4 years in HS. I did get injured doing
deadlift my senior year, sciatic nerve
felt like it was on fire, but I can't seem
to recall which side it was on. I trained
TKD in college, no injuries that I can
recall there, but we did practice joint
locks a fair amount. I did do some long
distance hiking a few years ago, which
took a pretty serious toll on my knees and
feet. But basically my training from
college to RMAX 6 months ago has been off
and on weightlifting (usually on 2 months,
off 4-8!) with the same dozen or so
exercises. Mostly what I practiced was
sitting on my butt typing. Way more time
with my arms internally rotated than
externally. |
This all made sense, especially
the years of externally rotated elbows from
typing and the resulting carpal tunnel
overcompensation injury. I advised him to keep
practicing the mobility drills. I suspect that
he'll see dramatic improvement over the course
of the next two weeks.
To illustrate my hunch I obtained Brian’s
permission to alter his photographs and to post
them in this article.
Follow my crude red spiral line. It illustrates
where the overcompensatory arm screwing has
created a dense chain.
Decoder Ring: CST's 7 Key
Components of Structure
I advised that, in building his handstand, Brian
should observe CST's 7 Key Components of
building proper Structure: core to periphery,
head to toe. In this case:
1. Core Activation™: how is your breath?
2. Crown to Coccyx Alignment: deviated
3. Shoulder Pack: unpacked, sliding, winged
4. Arm Lock: bent and inwardly rotated
5. Grip Confirmation: inwardly rotated
6. Hip Recruitment: arched not tucked, outwardly
rotating hips
7. Leg Drive: no knee lock and no toe point
The tighter the lighter on the lower body.
Getting proper Hip Recruitment allows the Leg
Drive to happen (which is like an isometric hold
of glutes, thighs, calves, etc.). But that's
only possible if proper Core Activation™ locks
down the core so that it irradiates downward to
the hips and legs.
This structural inefficiency places the spine
under greater load which, due to deviation of
alignment, is being held by his right shoulder
because of his bent and inwardly rotated elbows.
Sidebar: Notice how this is different than the
assessment that you would receive from a
physical therapist, sports doc, etc. This is a
technical performance assessment of the
efficiency of your structure, breathing and
movement.
Core Outwards Head Downwards
The above is a specific proprietary process
which you will see people attempt to pirate
quite often as time goes on -- because it works.
Some people advise one to build technique from
the toes to the head, but this defies all wisdom
(of millennia of yoga) and scientific knowledge.
CST was scientifically,
systematically constructed to model the most
efficient path of skill acquisition: that upon
which we are genetically hard-wired. This has
been spelled out in detail in the
CST definition of fitness.
Specifically, we are discussing the process of
teaching and its relationship to motor
development and skill acquisition. CST is taught
from the head to toe, not toe to head.
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Head Downwards and Center
Outwards
In the first few years of our development
we experience what is called the
Cephalocaudal-Proximodistal
Trend.
This means that we develop from the head
downwards and from the center outwards.
This is self-evident in the shape of a
baby, with its very large head and large
torso compared to its small arms and legs.
Each of us has our own unique pace through
this sequence as per Principle 1. However,
in general, the sequence is consistently
and repeatedly verifiable empirically.
CST is based upon the way we universally
and predictably develop in our own unique
timing sequence from infant to adult:
Incrementally Progressing with Increasing
Sophistication from the head to toe and
from the core to periphery. Optimally it's
best to follow that format, not because
CST is "The One True Way" but because it
observes these and other important laws
and principles. |
CST is not the only model to
follow this approach. Alexander Technique and
Feldenkrais are two additional, extant models.
However, CST is unique in the 'ingredients' that
it uses in this one genetic 'recipe.'
Beyond the obvious scientific rationale behind
our methodology, it has been our experience
through research, development, experimentation
and ongoing coaching that teaching in accordance
with our genetic developmental blueprint
(including but not limited to the
Cephalocaudal-Proximodistal Trend) ensures the
most efficient, expedient and effective means of
education possible.
We have found this to be the safest, most
effective, efficient and expedient approach to
learning each exercise. Teaching in this manner
is like slowly belaying someone who is
rappelling down the side of a cliff – we are
keeping the rope taught with each of these 7
components while the student is being smoothly
let over the cliff-side. This stands in
contradistinction to the erroneous, conventional
approach of "feet first" - which is analogous to
pushing someone off the cliff so that they snap
to the end of the rope, and only then pulling up
the slack. In the latter feet-first approach
there is a period of time where the trainee is
learning the technique by loading improper form.
There is a specific sequence to
these 7 Key Components of Structure – it is a
proprietary system based upon the scientific
understanding of human genetic development. This
process doesn’t just apply to the basic
exercises of CST. A certified CST Instructor or
Coach can be apply it to all movement, including
such ubiquitous exercises as the handstand.
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Alone... Together,
