Connect
To Top

Gymnastics Tips: Handstand Walking Pirouette

The handstand walk with a pirouette is a great way to challenge yourself once you have mastered the handstand hold and are confident walking on your hands. It could also be useful in a workout where you may be required to complete multiple lengths of the gym walking on your hands. It’s important to understand that you should have some basic handstand skill first before trying to advance up to the pirouette move.

Firstly – start of by testing your ability to walk. So try to come to a stop and then walk again. This will demonstrate control over your handstand. Note – this is far more difficult than simply doing a handstand walk, learning to hold a handstand is also far more challenging.

The next step will be to learn a handstand walk while slightly exaggerating the weight transfer, slowing down the step and spending more time on a one arm. This is shown in the images below:

handstand walking pirouette gymnastics tips 1 handstand walking pirouette gymnastics tips 1

Finally it’s time for the hand placement. Turn your hand in the direction you want to turn, and bring the other hand around to join it. Begin with a quarter turn and then gradually increase to a half turn. You will have a preferred turning direction eventually, so test it out and turn in the direction you feel most comfortable.

Practice each piece separately. For example:

  • Practice static handstand hold, build up to holding for 30-60sec without moving your hands

  • Handstand walk, stop, walk, work on a controlled handstand walk

  • Handstand walk exaggerating the time spent on a single arm

  • Handstand hold with pirouette

Once you have all the pieces worked out, try to put them all together. Happy training and god luck with all your progress! Any comments or questions you have please put then in the post below and owe will aim to get back to all of you!

By Kathryn and Evelina Dalecki from Dalecki Strength.

More in NEWS

The Rx Review is an independent fitness website, reporting on the Sport of Fitness, functional fitness news, The CrossFit Games, health and diet related information, and also provides reviews on sports performance products.