1.Workshop for Intermediate Handstand Practicioners:
Introduction
This workshop is meant for students that already have some experience training handstands, and that are looking for ways of getting their practice to new levels in technique, endurance, skills or want to add more vocabulary in their bodies while being upside down.
There is not a "time mark" that students should be able to hold a handstand but it is recommended that the participants are consistently able to hold it, without the help of a wall or any support. However I will always adapt the exercises and offer drills for different levels and necessities.
Description of the workshop:
The workshop will be divided in two:
First Part: Refining the Handstand
In the first part we will do a fast warm up and mobility for our joints to get ready for handstands and I'll briefly introduce some basic handstand technique to be all in the same page.
Contents covered in this first part are basic Handstand technique such as:
-Handstand alignment drills
-Jump to handstand (straddle, Tuck and pike)
-Kick to handstand
-Head positions and variations
-Press to handstand (straddle, pike and stalder press)
-Handstand Endurance
Second Part: Movement, shapes and journey to one arm
Here we will cover some handstand movement, sequences, more advanced shapes and introduce the one arm.
Contents involved sequences and handstand work such as:
-Handstand Sequences. Creating movement upside-down I always like to encourage creativity and exploring movement upside-down.
-Mexican Handstand. How to approach this skill safely.
-One arm Handstand: Progressions and drills for one arm that can be adapted to your level of practice.
This would be the focus main topics, but I always keep open eye for new necessities and challenges that may rise depending in the level and background of participants so don't hesitate to raise your doubts.
And finally, we will open a brief talk/discussion related to the work done and listen to any doubt/question, and always welcome any feedback.
2.Workshop for Advanced Handstand Practicioners:
Description of the workshop
This workshop is directed at students that have accumulated enough experience with handstands to feel consistent and confident upside-down. To participate I would recommend being able to hold a handstand for one minute without the help of any wall or support, and to be able to move through different shapes while in a Handstand.
However, if you are unsure if it's for you, I will always offer drills keeping an eye for different levels and necessities so don't hesitate if you feel like you're not quite yet there.
That being said, workshop will be divided in two.
First part: Handstand advanced basics
After warming up our joints and doing some core activation to get ready for handstands, we will do the rest of our warm up upside-down, with handstand entries and moving through different shapes adding to the endurance work.
For this we will be working in pairs to allow students to analyze the movements in other people's bodies too and have some rest in between the sets.
Some of the contents in this part of the workshop are:
-Jump to handstands (Tuck, Straddle, Pike) and head in variations.
-Pressing to Handstand (Straddle, Pike, Stalder)
-Handstand basics (Straight, Straddle Tuck, Pike, Seven Position)
-SideBends and One Arm drills
Second Part: One arm shapes, variations and movement
Second Part we will focus in more advanced shapes and one arm basic transitions. This will be adapted to levels and necessities but the general contents are:
-Spotting one arm. Here I will introduce the spotting technique that I've been refining during my teaching years at circus school.
-One arm basic transitions. How to move through the one arm keeping the center stacked above our shoulder.
-The figa one arm. Introducing this elusive shape and how to approach it with and without a spot.
-Side bends. Also referred as flags in one arm
-One arm fast transitions. How to transition from one arm using momentum.
-Advanced head in variations. Head in has been a focus in my practice for many years and we can discuss its benefits with some experimentation.
-Creating sequences. Always challenging to create sequences that push our skills and demand total focus.
This are the general topics, however we can always adapt the Progressions to your level or current practice, so don't hesitate to come in with your questions.
We will also open a brief questions and answers time at the end to address any doubt or receive any feedback you might have.
About Mau Jara:
Mauricio Jara is a profesional handbalancer from Costa Rica, who has dedicated most of his years to the study and practice of handstands.
He began as a floor acrobat, and did one year of competitive gymnastics before starting his juorney in the handstand discipline. He was a pioner handstand specialist in Costa Rica, were he developed his own method of training, and starting teaching handstands as a main discipline.
He started performing at that same time, with a contemporary circus company called Punto Muerto, and as a freelance. In 2016 he traveled to Europea and trained with handstand teachers like Claude Victoria.
Since 2018 Mauricio is working at circus school Instituto Nacional de Artes do Circo in Portugal, where he continues both performing and teaching handstands as a main discipline.
Introduction
This workshop is meant for students that already have some experience training handstands, and that are looking for ways of getting their practice to new levels in technique, endurance, skills or want to add more vocabulary in their bodies while being upside down.
There is not a "time mark" that students should be able to hold a handstand but it is recommended that the participants are consistently able to hold it, without the help of a wall or any support. However I will always adapt the exercises and offer drills for different levels and necessities.
Description of the workshop:
The workshop will be divided in two:
First Part: Refining the Handstand
In the first part we will do a fast warm up and mobility for our joints to get ready for handstands and I'll briefly introduce some basic handstand technique to be all in the same page.
Contents covered in this first part are basic Handstand technique such as:
-Handstand alignment drills
-Jump to handstand (straddle, Tuck and pike)
-Kick to handstand
-Head positions and variations
-Press to handstand (straddle, pike and stalder press)
-Handstand Endurance
Second Part: Movement, shapes and journey to one arm
Here we will cover some handstand movement, sequences, more advanced shapes and introduce the one arm.
Contents involved sequences and handstand work such as:
-Handstand Sequences. Creating movement upside-down I always like to encourage creativity and exploring movement upside-down.
-Mexican Handstand. How to approach this skill safely.
-One arm Handstand: Progressions and drills for one arm that can be adapted to your level of practice.
This would be the focus main topics, but I always keep open eye for new necessities and challenges that may rise depending in the level and background of participants so don't hesitate to raise your doubts.
And finally, we will open a brief talk/discussion related to the work done and listen to any doubt/question, and always welcome any feedback.
2.Workshop for Advanced Handstand Practicioners:
Description of the workshop
This workshop is directed at students that have accumulated enough experience with handstands to feel consistent and confident upside-down. To participate I would recommend being able to hold a handstand for one minute without the help of any wall or support, and to be able to move through different shapes while in a Handstand.
However, if you are unsure if it's for you, I will always offer drills keeping an eye for different levels and necessities so don't hesitate if you feel like you're not quite yet there.
That being said, workshop will be divided in two.
First part: Handstand advanced basics
After warming up our joints and doing some core activation to get ready for handstands, we will do the rest of our warm up upside-down, with handstand entries and moving through different shapes adding to the endurance work.
For this we will be working in pairs to allow students to analyze the movements in other people's bodies too and have some rest in between the sets.
Some of the contents in this part of the workshop are:
-Jump to handstands (Tuck, Straddle, Pike) and head in variations.
-Pressing to Handstand (Straddle, Pike, Stalder)
-Handstand basics (Straight, Straddle Tuck, Pike, Seven Position)
-SideBends and One Arm drills
Second Part: One arm shapes, variations and movement
Second Part we will focus in more advanced shapes and one arm basic transitions. This will be adapted to levels and necessities but the general contents are:
-Spotting one arm. Here I will introduce the spotting technique that I've been refining during my teaching years at circus school.
-One arm basic transitions. How to move through the one arm keeping the center stacked above our shoulder.
-The figa one arm. Introducing this elusive shape and how to approach it with and without a spot.
-Side bends. Also referred as flags in one arm
-One arm fast transitions. How to transition from one arm using momentum.
-Advanced head in variations. Head in has been a focus in my practice for many years and we can discuss its benefits with some experimentation.
-Creating sequences. Always challenging to create sequences that push our skills and demand total focus.
This are the general topics, however we can always adapt the Progressions to your level or current practice, so don't hesitate to come in with your questions.
We will also open a brief questions and answers time at the end to address any doubt or receive any feedback you might have.
About Mau Jara:
Mauricio Jara is a profesional handbalancer from Costa Rica, who has dedicated most of his years to the study and practice of handstands.
He began as a floor acrobat, and did one year of competitive gymnastics before starting his juorney in the handstand discipline. He was a pioner handstand specialist in Costa Rica, were he developed his own method of training, and starting teaching handstands as a main discipline.
He started performing at that same time, with a contemporary circus company called Punto Muerto, and as a freelance. In 2016 he traveled to Europea and trained with handstand teachers like Claude Victoria.
Since 2018 Mauricio is working at circus school Instituto Nacional de Artes do Circo in Portugal, where he continues both performing and teaching handstands as a main discipline.
