Need a customized framework for training? Try Autoregulation!

In the last post, I covered overcoming hurdles and changing things up. There was even talk about an interesting buzzword; autoregulation.

I didn’t want to get too deep into autoregulation at that point because I wanted to keep things simple...

BUT!

Today might be the day to tell you what this whole autoregulation thing is about.

Autoregulation is basically a way of being able to adjust the training session to the body’s needs at that point in time. First off let me say that this doesn’t mean to jump into every session without a plan, blindfolded, hoping something sticks. That's a bit off course from what we are looking for in our own training, although having time to play while you train has its merits.

What I'm talking about is having an adjustable framework to work from.

Lets take our wall assisted handstand as an example. To add to this, lets set a simple baseline to follow while your understanding this method. There are many methods to autoregulation including those from our friends at Gold Medal Bodies.

To start off, lets take the ideas of quality, quantity, and time. Say that our chosen training activity, the wall assisted handstand, will be given a time frame of 20 minutes. In that 10 minute time frame, I set a goal(quantity) of a 30 second handstand with a quality of a controlled kick-up lightly touching the wall and straight line. I have an added base point of stopping after not being able to hold a quality 20 second handstand even if its before the 20 minute time frame ends.

So what I’ve done is set up some “soft” parameters that i can play with in order to adjust my body accordingly to the task. This is important when building a skill, because you are learning to utilize your body. We have the added biological mess, that your bodies current state is a result of stimuli received previously.

You can look up more on the subject by doing a quick google search. But if you want to get a taste of auto-regulated skill training and mindfulness, test out one of the Gold Medal Bodies Elements programs.

Stay Ninja!
-Jonathan Magno

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO ON SESSIONS!

Can you Crosstrain for your Handstands!?

Will weight lifting and cross-training help you out with your handstands? 

Depends!

Still a bit different back in 2013. Cross-Training with Boxing and Calisthenics lol.

I’m going to expound on the idea. Weight-lifting is a ranged term that can involve power lifting, olympic lifts, bodybuilding, or old-fashioned strength training. A big qualifier on your results is in how you lift.

Certain exercises are going to help you out. While others will probably only add small gains towards your end goal.

Specifically for pressing movements. It requires a tremendous amount of strength to be able to press your own body overhead. You need strong triceps, shoulders, but more importantly a strong core.

Since many of the inverted presses take you through different planes of movement; not strictly overhead work, like the press from the frogger, you will also need strong pectoral muscles in addition to the core.

So strengthening these muscles will make your varied progressions easier.

Then again hand balancing takes a huge degree of balance. While weightlifting can help your coordination, it is nothing compared to what you need to stand on your hands.

Being able to press a heavy barbell overhead has no carryover to being able to hold a handstand.

A handstand is a skill and needs to be practiced in order for you to get good at it.

These days many people are moving away from weights because they think they are not functional. You know what? It just depends on what you’re doing with them.

Whether you decide to build you upper body strength with barbell presses or with handstand pushups, its really up to you. They both build strength.

So in short, look at what your own goals are and see what will work best for your situation.

If you want another way to crosstrain your body, check out the  GMB Vitamin Program!

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO ON SESSIONS!

Get Your Fingers to the Floor!

Handstands, Cartwheels, the Crow and more

It will probably come as no surprise that out of all the body weight styles of training from bar work, to rings, and even all the tricky stuff; my favorite sets will always revolve around floorwork.

My basis for this is probably another unsurprising fact. You really don’t need any other piece of equipment other than your body using this style of training. To top it off, it creates a nice strong foundation for the other body skills. Even if you’re having an issue with a move through either fear or even sloppy form, you can practice a lateral skill progression on the ground to build up that kinesthetic or confidence. I do this all the time.

In relation to your floor work; having strong, flexible, and coordinated fingers is a top priority. This is because in certain maneuvers, you are basically replacing your feet with your hands, which should have a similar level of control.

Before we move forward, lets build out on this idea by touching on the feet for a second. Specifically we’ll focus on your toes.

I want you to try something without getting too deep into it. But before you do this make sure that you are in a safe area where you won’t hurt yourself.

I want you to lean your shoulders forward as far as you can until your shoulders get past your toes.

Did you notice something? Were your toes gripping for dear life so that you could try and stay upright? Did you also take steps or shift your feet so that you could find your balance again? My guess is yes.

You can go ahead and do the same laterally to the left or right and even backward if you like.

Its the same thing with your fingers and hands while you are doing floor work. Your fingers are like your toes gripping on to the floor to give stability and balance. If your body starts shifting forward, your fingers can grip the ground and act as your breaks. In a similar fashion, your thumb can slow you down if you start falling back to where you started. Your fingers are intergral in maintaining that structure. Especially in the beginning of your handstand journey.

A final way that your fingers can enhance your floor work is by relieving stress on your joints, and pulling the wrists out of full flexion thereby reducing the load on them. I’m all about testing. Try running through your floorwork with your fingertips gripping and see if it changes your stability and balance!

If you get some good results, be sure to let me know!

The HyperMonkey
-Jonathan Magno

PS If you want to become more skilled and develop your floor work, check out GMB Floor 1!

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO ON SESSIONS!

Hypermonkey Holiday Handstand Jam 2015!

Coach Jon here. This year we introduced our very first Hypermonkey Handstand Jam. Its kind of fitting that it also happens to be the very first post on our new Hyperblog!

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We even had a special guest Handstand Claus!

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Handstand Claus ended up helping us with our balancing skills like the frogstand!

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We had an awesome time and definitely hope that you do on your holiday handbalancing endeavors as well!

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We've even got a full video for you!

We hope you have a Happy Holidays and be sure to contact us at hypermonkeyfit@gmail.com if you have any questions or want join us for a session or get personal training!

Try out any of the courses at the Lost Art of Hand Balancing website to increase your inversion skills!