THE WHAT:
A very accessible wall-facing context to develop an understanding of the shoulder & hip position for optimal "stacking" in a 'tuck-handstand' form. At the same time, however, the position teaches the sensation & patterning of optimally extending from the UPPER-back (thoracic-spine) for overhead-range, in combination with maintaining a 'NEUTRAL' lumbar-spine to mitigate a less-optimal "banana" form. This is transferable to ALL handstand practice.

Resource contents:
0:05 - Posterior pelvic-tilt ('PPT') in the 'tuck-HS'
0:40 - Optimal "stacking" & coming to balance

THE CONCEPT:
The fundamental concept to understand is that, when the legs are "tucked" (i.e. knees flexed and a more "closed" hip-angle), there is more load toward the front of the body. In order to "balance the equation", then, the HIPS/ backside must shift in the OPPOSITE direction (toward the fingers) as a counter-balance. At the same time, however, the shoulders must remain optimally above the "heels" of the hands.

To do so, as aforementioned, much of the practice here is extending from the UPPER-back (facilitated by a consistent effort to PUSH through the floor) so that the shoulders do not shift forward from their optimally stacked position over the WRISTS. You should feel a notable "loaded-stretch" in this area as a result, making the tucked position itself a context within which to develop this range.

In the presence of restrictions in shoulder & thoracic-mobility, a negotiation can be made by instead extending more through the STERNUM/mid-back. It may also be necessary to work with the feet HIGHER up the wall, so that not as much extension from the spine in general is required to counter-balance. In both cases, the lower/lumber-spine maintains a 'NEUTRAL' position through a consistent effort for posterior pelvic-tilt ('PPT').

BALANCE:
It must be emphasised that the main focus of the work here is the optimal positioning of the the shoulders & hips in accordance with the perspective and embodied structure required to affect the characteristic 'counter-balance' in the 'tuck-HS' form. This is first and foremost. When this is optimal, there will be a sensation of "lightness" (i.e. efficiency from finding oneself in a "stacked" position), and from here balance will find YOU.

In working toward balance, then, once you have one foot away, AVOID bouncing back & forth on the wall with the second. Rather, continue to refine optimal stacking with the SINGLE foot, until this again begins to experience the sensation of "lightness" against the wall. From here, simply pulling it marginally away from the wall is enough to find yourself momentarily in balance.

Record and review your form and work on the most common checkpoints outlined in the resource (they are universal to all handstand forms, despite the difference in forms). Stay diligent with everything from the weight in the HEEL of the hands. It is an ongoing experiment - a process of trial and error - individual to each practitioner.

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