Hi everyone. The front handpsring has, to be frank, been my bugbear for the two years I've been taking ninpo. I just COULD NOT do it; couldn't make sense of it, couldn't figure it out, scared of every learning curve, landed on every part of my neck, head, ass, spine and undiscovered and painful bodyparts in the process. Started from NOTHING also; couldn't even handstand against a wall back then. Have given it some serious work, lost a lot of weight and improved my fitness no end since then. Can run a half marathon on a work night which I worked up to, train weights three times a week, dojo four times a week, run three miles a day... Somehow, in the back of my mind, all of it was leading to the day when I could land that DAMN front handspring! Weird weird kind of obsession with it. Imagined myself going "yay!" and feeling all springy and happy... Well, landing day (landing day was a VERY happy day) has come and gone and I can now land them, but the problem is I have absolutely NO clue what I'm doing right now, as opposed to not knowing what it was I used to do wrong. I can't look at it objectively and deconstruct it as I don't quite understand it, even though I can do it. Anyways that's a lot of reading from a handspring-obsessed 8th Kyu Ninpo student who is incredibly average at the best of times... I was wondering if I might take advantage of any passing forum-helpfuls and ask if you can do this? If so, how did you learn? Any dos and don'ts? Any UNMISSABLE YouTube tutorials out there? I've seen most I think by now and a few are okay... Any hints greatly greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading all that.
Have you tried videoing yourself? Whenever I am unsure if I'm doing something I video it, realise how much of a fool I look like and then fix the problems. I managed to pick up a copy of... https://www.mootoamerica.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=170 ...second hand for only a couple of bucks. Step by step processes.
Thanks for the reply! I had that idea back in the summer so dutifully filmed myself landing on all sorts of places of myself, and recently of myself 'succeeding' at it. Thing is, it's hard to relate any kind of experimentation to myself (at least, I'm finding it hard) but I can see I'm doing some things wrong in the technique, where I'm using momentum and a run-up to get me over, where other people can just do it on some sort of strength and co-ordination. I have no 'air-sense' so to speak and no real appreciation of the procedure, and have practiced myself into and out of several dead ends with it that I think maybe even a little frustration is creeping in? Sempai was kind enough to show me again(for the millionth time and I was damn grateful for the patience) and as he does it it's definitely a huge push with the arms to lift off the ground in the 'spring' part, but for the life of me I can't figure out when or how to apply that when I try, and just from standing or without a run up I just land on my ass and have no idea at all how to even begin correcting it. I think I'll film that part and dissect it a bit more. Filming myself has been an awesome idea so cheers for that and has helped IMMENSELY with other things such as handstands, so cheers for that one. DVD looks good and there are some brilliant YouTube tutorials out there also as it goes! It seems that there are as many ways to do it as there are people who make tutorials though. If only a graceless, ageing ninpo student would make one then I'd damn well nail it. Teeheehee. Would do but there's nothing local that will take beginner adults. I work in a school and have had some advice from the gym teacher which has gotten me to this point, but she is certain that the technique reliant on strength to push me up and over with my arms is not the correct thing to do and the move is entirely momentum-based. Cheers for that hint though, it was useful to look elsewhere for some help and it did help me along a bit.
I'd phone the local club and see if they would be prepared to teach you this one technique in a private lesson. Only a phone call.
Worth a shot? Would certainly help me out if they did... I'll give it a go over the Christmas break. Thanks guys.
If this is something pertaining to your martial art, and you go to a dojo four days a week, what's the reasoning behind your teacher not being able to help you?
Two teachers generally, and both have tried. I have zero aptitude for gymnastics I think, and not really wanting to monopolise lesson time and space too much with it. That and overcoming fears of handstands/going over into crab positions (which I still can't do) as well as them not wanting me to get too frustrated with it and remember that it's not just a front handspring and there are actually other things to be doing. Also, been told not to obsess over it, which I think I've sadly been doing. Other students have reminded me that some can't do it and no need to let it get to me but it has... I've really wanted to do it! Now I can kinda do it I don't really know what it is I'm doing right about it, but I need more of a run up than anyone and rely more on momentum to do it than on technique. There's no "spring" in the hands, just a pivot point over which hips and legs go and seem to land upright, but on very bended legs. Shall I stick a video up from the other day if that'll help? (Oh and can any of you guys do it? If so, how do you and how did you learn? Did it take ages etc...) (And is the BACK handspring harder? I'm leaving that one for the time being...) ...Or am I nearly there enough to not bother so much, and does it sound like weight of practice will just sort it and I'll get another penny dropping moment somewhere?
Sounds like you've been doing a lot of practice. For the record, I can't do it. Never actually attempted it. Have you tried building strength for the actual movement itself. It sounds like if you're missing the "spring" point it may be a lack of strength both upper body and core. One thing I have noticed about gymnasts is their great body awareness. They can spin four times in the air and know exactly which way to turn to land properly. There's heaps of them out there. http://www.drillsandskills.com/article/8 Also, maybe try from a squating stance first and build your way up to standing and then running. Be reducing the amount of velocity you have you might increase your awareness of what is lacking in the movement.
Thanks Coges - that website looks excellent also. I'm going to give that a shot over the coming week as I got some self-training time free. I'm also missing a gap in the knowledge I think by not knowing a front headspring kipup and having a very weak front roll kipup. I'll go back to these too and see where I can get them Again, everyone, cheers for the helping hands.
You made mention that you need a longer run up than other students. I would suggest trying again just using one or two slow steps, then explode into the technique. Make sure you have a bend in the arms, which you will need to use to add to the spring. This is the way I do my front spring. Going slow may also help you feel more for the technique and any areas of waekness.
Cheers simon_s, and again Coges. Back to that article Coges, that really is something. Been coughing up a lung today so had to miss this morning's session down the dojo, so put in a few handstands and tried everything in that article. I think I've found a million faults with what I'd previously been doing (can only hold a handstand balance for a few seconds and still known to overbalance and twist out or have to roll out occasionally.) The way they explain that really makes sense to me. I'll try and make the most of that. Have been trying to develop lats with pullups and chinups as part of my weekly workout regime too, but I'll have to fit in more handstand practice now I think. Looking objectively at some old YouTube videos again, there does seem to be more to the kipup sort of landing rather than the "power your way through it" landing but I don't really have a developed sense of how to do that yet, which led me to finding fault again in not feeling too comfy with handstands still. Took me a long time to get where I am so not fussed about having to go back and tweak things a little. Cheers yet again for all the help here, Merry Christmas to everyone. If I get any progress or hit any disasters I'll let y'all know.
When I first started doing handsprings, I used to flip over people who were on all fours by putting my hands on their back (short run up). By doing this you have more time to reach your landing point. Once successfull you could lower the height you are filipping over.
I'd wager you can't do it because your brain won't let you. Get someone to spot you and commit to it. You can do it, no problem.
I will be thanks! Actually I can pretty much pull it off now on a dojo floor; next is carpet/grass and then concrete I guess. To be honest, I can't think of any huge merits to practicing it on concrete too much but hey. Gotta get that bum from hitting the floor on occasion! More momentum and straighter arms...
