Hand-Balancing for Muscular Development by Bill Hinbern
__________________29.99 plus s/h

At last, an entire training course devoted to teaching the secrets of successful strength training for older lifters...

I didn't bother to read the article though, I just jum pedright in to trying to duplicate some of the exercises shown in the pictures. I did a lot more falling than balancing... It some how wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. What should come as no great rprise is that it didn't go very well and my first hand balancing escapade ended in frustration after less than a half-hour. This was a case of making several classic mistakes: the first was attempting to jump in at a level far above what

An Oldtime Secret of Strength
and Development

As I mentioned earlier, my initial interest in hand balancing was basically just to show off -- and it's a pretty good way to do so -- but if you take a look back through the history of strength training you'll notice something else about it that stands out. Many of the oldtime strength thletes used hand balancing as a way to build incredible strength and upper body development.

The list of strength athletes who were also great hand balancers reads like a "who's who" of lends: Sig Klein, John Grimek, Doug Hepburn, Paul rson, Jack LaLanne, Bert Assirati, George F. Jowett, ve Reeves, Otto Arco, Bert Goodrich and levio imo... just to name a few that come diately to mind. It took a little while, a few decades, in fact, but lly my interest in hand balancing came back in a big way. There were several ors which contributed to this: first of all, I got really interested in oving my overhead press, and hand balancing is one of the "lost" methods that the oldtime lifters used to use for doing so.

Second, as the time passed, I got a little more of this "stuff" called wisdom (which tends to mulate over the years) and I grew up more than a little. I no longer expected to become an expert over night...

It took a little while, a few decades, in fact, but eventually my interest in hand balancing came back in a big way. There were several factors which contributed to this: first of all, I got really interested in improving my overhead press, and hand balancing is one of the "lost" methods that the oldtime lifters used to use for doing so.

Second, as the time passed, I got a little more of this "stuff" called wisdom (which tends to accumulate over the years) and I grew up more than a little. I no longer expected to become an expert over night...

I had the motivation and I had the wisdom, but what I was lacking was a plan. It an amazing stroke of luck that right around this time, (and thirdly), that Bill Hinbern also came out with a fantastic training guide which outlined decades of hand balancing knowledge. With this guide in hand, I was no longer in the dark as far as how and where to get started. My "getting started" frustration and anxiety disappeared instantly.

Introducing your Road Map for Hand
Balancing Success: Hand-Balancing for
Muscular Development by Bill Hinbern

Goerner The Mighty Table of Contents
Foreword Irving R. Clark
Introduction by John E. Dawe
Chapter I Introducing Hermann Goerner
Chapter II His Early Lift
Chapter III His Later Life and Travels
Chapter IV His Measurements
Chapter V His Lifting Performances and Feats of Strength
Chapter VI His Training Methods
Chapter VIII His Attitude to Strength Feats
Conclusion Appreciations by World Famous Authorities

1. The very specific and exact ways that your body maintains a sense of balance and why understanding them will be critical to your hand balancing success

2. How to quickly and easily solve the common problems of unbalancing and overbalancing (two of the most important things you can know)

3. The best ways to fall safely and correctly (info which you will NEED to know.)

4. How your hands and fingers must be positioned for the perfect handstand

5. The 16 preliminary exercises (with and without equipment) that you can use to build a solid foundation

6. A selection of 7 barbell exercises to use in preparation for hand balancing workout, AND suggestions on the specific days of the week to focus on them

7. The 4 basic parts of the perfect hand balance and why you will end up flat on your face if you leave out any of them

8. The 3 simplest ways to "get up" into the hand stand position

9. How to correctly use a wall for hand balancing practice

10. The best locations and positions for your gym mats

11. The Best "type" of surface for the most effective hand balancing training -- and which surfaces to avoid

12. The 2 keys to practicing hand balancing with or without a partner

13. How to perform "The Headstand," The "Handstand," "The Frogstand" and 7 more basic hand balancing moves

14. How to perform a handstand from a cartwheel

15. How to condition your hands, fingers, wrists and forearms for supporting your bodyweight with a unique exercise called "The Gargoyle"

16. The finer points of "The Press-Up Handstand," "Half-Lever Swing Up," "The Chairstand" and 12 more Intermediate hand balancing movements

17. The 5 different types of "floor bars" and why you may or may not need to train with them

18. Why "The Tiger Bend" is one of the most effective exercises and how to use it to build strong, powerful arms (a favorite of Sig Klein)

19. Twenty Advanced Hand balancing moves guaranteed to impress anyone

20. Seven different methods for progressing to the one armed hand stand

21. How to perform "The Snap Down" - a spectacular way of finishing off your hand balances

22. Four different variations of "The Planche"

23. Methods for Mastering the Press-Up from Planche to Hand Stand

24. How to walk up and down stairs on your hands

25. "Hopping" on one hand, two hands, and stacking and removing blocks

26. How to perform a hand stand from the seated position

27. The most difficult part of the Backward Roll up into The Handstand and a quick tip for conquering it easily

28. Details for mastering the MOST impressive hand balancing feat of all...

29. The hand Balancing movement that is also one of teh very best for building abdominal strength

29. Four different stretching exercises for maintaining strong, flexible shoulders

30. The One most important thing to remember above all else for hand balancing success

31. An Anatomy chart of all the major muscle groups

32. A Full resource section for all equipment described and used throughout the course

Does it work? Here's the Proof:

When I got serious about learning to hand balance, I understood that success would come in small incriments. At first, I couldnt hold a handstand for even a second before tipping over like a bowling pin -- but that was ok. I began working on the drills in the course, slowly but consistently. I could barely hold a handstand while leaning against a wall. Forget any balancing, supporting the whole of my bodyweight on my wrists was all but impossible, at least when I started. But soon that became easy, and I moved on to balancing with the help of the wall, again, just for a few seconds, then a little longer and a little longer...

Then came attemps to hold a "free" hand stand out in the open, which I admit, were terrifying ...but with practice I showed improvement each time. I recall the amazing sense of accomplishment that I felt when I finally held a handstand for five whole seconds... soon that game way to ten seconds... and eventually thirty seconds... What was once difficult is now ridiculously easy.

While I'd say I'm still not quite ready to run off and join the circus, I'm doing pretty well especially considering that I started with zero hand balancing skills to speak of. Here's a look at the results of following the training course and plenty of practice:

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