Learning a proper handstand takes an insane amount of practice, dedication  and patience. A whole book wouldn’t be enough to explain everything about handstands, from zero to the one arm variations, but I gathered 5 principles I always keep an eye on when it comes to practicing or teaching handstands, and I hope it will serve well as a little guide to your trainings as well. 

1.Patience and consistency

Now days, when we live in a “rushing” world, where we want everything as soon as possible to be done, or achieved, it’s even harder to slow down. On social media you get so much stimuli from fitness ads, 

2.Focus on the truth, rather than being right

Our biases are a huge factor blocking our critical thinking. Having a strong opinion and vision of something is crucial and I strongly encourage you to have your own vision of anything, but not being open minded for changes and sticking to your truth can often lead to actually lesser knowledge of something. This doesn’t mean you have to accept another vision and think of something like that. You just have to be open for other approaches of the same thing you formed an opinion about. 

3.Prepare for the possibility you might be wrong

Never fear being wrong, it’s a way of learning. Or more likely and accurately, I would say, do not stick to your opinion to death, but not showing your opinion or vision about something because you might be wrong is just worse. Being wrong, admitting it and rearranging your thinking will lead you to a higher and greater knowledge, because you could put yourself into a situation which you learned something new from.

4.Learn from as many experts, coaches, teachers, masters you can

This is what I recommend the most for my clients. There is a way I’m thinking, a way I’m approaching different situations, training methods and programs, skills like a handstand or a side split. But it sometimes happenes when someone needs another way of thinking to actually reach their goal. It might sound like I speak against myself, but that’s just not true. I’ve learnt from so many artists, coaches, experts, teachers. And each and one of them added something to my knowledge and I could form a way of thinking from this knowledge which I think is the closest to so many things I’m doing, like teaching, training, working with clients and so on… But it’s just my way of thinking, you might need some others also and you can form the most suitable knowledge for yourself, just like I did. 

5.Keep your knowledge up to date

Never stop learning! There is always more knowledge you can seek after. New studies, articles and books are forming every day, so keep learning!

6.Ask the right questions at the right time

Asking is one of the most powerful tools you can use in any situation. Learning to ask the right questions at the right time takes practice just like everything, but once you have mastered it, you will be always in a good position in any arguments and discussions. 

7.Never be afraid to get into a debate

Debates are not wrong. It serves as a learning process. Getting to know someone else’s vision and discussing our different ways of thinking is a great way to improve your critical thinking and actually may learn something new.

8.Recognise your own and other people’s biases

9.Never let anyone’s title, degree, whatever stopping you from asking questions about their statement

10.Connect with people within the same niche