Exercises towards handstand goal

I was pretty chuffed that after 3 weeks of progressive practice with various exercises, I was able to do what I call a 'half-pied' handstand at age 50 years. Meaning I got lift off with a kickup but I was unable to get hips high enough stacked over shoulders (I have big hips and butt). Plus my form wasn't great. Still, I managed to get 86kg into the air, for approximately 1 second, with hands on the ground. Woo-hoo!

I definitely felt my glute muscles the next day, plus a little stiffness in archilles tendon, so I am wary of injury. Self-massage helps with recovery. I need to improve my strength and flexibility further.

I noticed that when I did some exercises with 5kg dumbbells, they felt quite light, after weeks of doing the handstand practise exercises. I just did a little of the handstand exercises every few days, to allow my muscles to recover. Literally, very little of the actual exercises (just seconds or minutes), to build up slowly, listening to my body.

I have started doing a bending exercise for flexiblity and balance. I can easily touch the ground with my hands, despite some tightness in my hamstrings. This exercise is to try get hips higher, extending onto tiptoes, with a wall as a safety net. The wall can help to have the confidence to to a bit further forward with the hips, knowing that won't fall over. I have linked the video at the end of this blog post.

Another exercise I am keen to try, to strengthen my abs is the stability ball pike. I saw it done with a wall as a safety net and also without a wall. 

It's been a while since I've used a Swiss ball/stability ball. My fitness goals include improving my balance and flexibility as well as strength and overall resistence. So I now own a ball (no idea what happened to the previous one). 

I'm not sure yet whether to invest in dumbbells of a higher weight or whether to just continue with some bodyweight and resistance band exercises. The general consensus is that push and pull type exercises are important for balance. I know I can lift 7-8kg from when I went to the gym for a bit. I have already switched from the 10lb to the 20lb resistance band and it still feels pretty easily. 

I like to mix exercises up, so that I am getting a full body workout and to avoid strain injuries. So might do bodyweight one day, resistance band the next, dumbbells the next.

I have a fibromyaglia diagnosis and am prone to extra tenderness and pain, so I take things at my own pace. Which generally equates to around half an hour of brisk walking, dance-walking or dance-based video workout. Plus around 15 minutes of some strength/toning/flexibility types exercises (much less currently for handstand exercises).

Walking and dance-walking (walking waving my arms around to the music) definitely help my mental health and overall resilience. Most of my current leg strength is from walking. I make a point of walking up a big hill when I do my usual walk. I don't really walk that far (usually under 3km) but usually at a brisk pace (music definitely helps). A walk is my primary exercise. Anything else is a bonus.

Stability ball pike

This is an exercise I hope to master, to hopefully help me improve my handstand attempts. I expect I will use a wall as a safety net, if I can get hips up high enough.

Press handstand training

A press handstand is considered to be more challenging than a 'regular' handstand. However, I want to try some of the practise exercises, as I cannot currently get my hips high enough. The stability ball pike is also featured her with a wall as a safety net.