Alignment: the tree, branch, roots analogy

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Your upper body is the foundation of your handstand - like the roots of a tree - while the lower body is more like the branches.
→ If the roots are unstable, the whole tree falls.
 
  • Always begin by setting the shoulder stack before worrying about legs.
  • Always practice 1) The feeling while tethered at the wall, 2) the take-off and 3) the transitions while off the wall. Never neglect step 1.
Key points:
  • Think: Roots first, then branches.
  • The upper body dictates what the lower body can do.
  • Small shifts in the shoulders have far bigger consequences than movements in the legs.