Shows
Handstand DiaryEllen Grow - Training at a Circus School in ChinaChina, like the Ukraine, is known for bringing out incredible handbalancers and circus acrobats, some of them very young. Ellen Grow, who I met at the Bali Handstand Retreat spent 18 months training there at the Beijing International Art School. So I asked her if she would be willing to share her experience. Even though she was there about ten years ago, I thought it was worth sharing with you guys.
Today Ellen performs with her group One Fell Swoop Circus. Actually they are currently doing shows at the fringe festival! So go watch them...2020-02-2523 minHandstand DiaryYulya Mihailova - Life of a Handbalance & Contortion StarGuys, I’ve been dying to show you this one. I think I don’t need to explain who Yulya Mihailova is, as she is probably the most famous female handbalancer and contortionist in the circus world and the world of social media. After meeting her husband, Andrii Bondarenko, I was determined to get to meet her too and share our conversation with all of you.
She is a shining star and has been on stage with the Cirque du Soleil show Amaluna for over 8 years. At the time we met (in June 2019) she had just left the...2020-02-1145 minHandstand DiaryAlexander Hart - The Beauty and Strength of a HandbalancerIn this interview Alexander Hart shares his path to becoming a high-level handbalancer with us and insights he had along the way. After our interview Alex shared a quote with me that I think describes his motives in a perfect way:
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable” – Socrates
Unfortunately we were very limited in time – Alex is a busy man. So we had to keep the...2020-02-0412 minHandstand DiaryPieti Kirkkopelto - Think Less and Do MoreHere's to all of you overthinkers out there. This message is one I needed to hear for sure: Think less and do more
Pieti was one of the amazing students we met during our visit at the Kyiv Academy for Circus and Variety Arts. I could talk to him for hours and hours, as he has quite a lot of thoughts on anything regarding handbalance and its practice. You can definitely tell that he likes to analyze things and has the mind of a scientist.
I really hope you enjoy this interview as the main ke...2020-01-2827 minHandstand DiaryKaisa Koivuluoma - Her Breakthrough in HandbalanceKaisa’s story is one of the most amazing I’ve ever heard. It shows that sometimes less is more and that a sudden breakthrough is possible in handbalance, too. She basically went from a wobbly straddle one arm to all the one arm shapes in a matter of a few months. She just finished her first year in Kyiv and has big plans for her future. When I saw her flags for the first time, I fell in love.
I’m so glad I can share this interview with you, since she was hesitant at the beginn...2020-01-2118 minHandstand DiarySong - Ouchies in my WristHere's to all of you injured people. Don't take it to serious. It will pass!
It's been quite a while since we last posted. Ivo and I had some big life changes going on and were quite overwhelmed. But we are back. And we are having a blast.
Stay tuned for more interviews with epic handbalancers and new tutorials!
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2020-01-2001 minHandstand DiaryMihaela Karkia - Reaching Top-Level and Finding Your Own StyleI have rarely seen any person being as driven as Mihaela. She knows exactly what she wants and you can feel her laser sharp focus when you watch her practice. But I was actually really surprised when she told me her life goals during our interview. So I hope you enjoy this interview. It's an immensely valuable one in my opinion. Especially for all the aspiring female handbalancers, who are looking for some sense of direction.
Follow Mihaela on Instagram!
@mihaelaaureliakarkia
P.S.: Consider supporting us so we can keep...2019-08-1323 minHandstand DiaryLuis Landa - Intense Training and Staying InspiredToday I'll talk to Luis Landa, my mexican friend who decided to teak a leap and move to another continent to persue his dream. His progress eversince he came to Kiev has been amazing and his dedication and passion are very inspiring. But it's not always just flowers and rainbows when you train in Kiev. Most of the time, the handbalance life is hard and frustrating. So I was very greatful for Luis to be so honest and open up about the hardships and how he overcomes them and keeps going.
If you wanna know more about...2019-08-0627 minHandstand DiaryKim Alicia Gerlach - Circus School Life and becoming ProThis episode is about a little hero I met here in Kiev.
Kim just finished her first year at the Circus School and tells us about what she's experiencing, being in one of the best schools (or probably even THE best school) for handbalance.
I knew her a little from Instagram, but when I met her in real life, I was fascinated by her spirit and persona.
She is like a little ball of energy with big ambitions and a lot of courage. What struck me the most was that she was so...2019-07-3114 minHandstand DiaryHANDSTAND Q&A - KievSince we are spending some time in Kiev all around handbalancers, we decided to do a fun little Q&A.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-3130 minHandstand DiaryUlrik Ask Fossum - Taking the Next Steps in his Handbalance CarreerHow exciting to meet Ulrik again after such a long time. It's been about a year since our first interview. He came to Vienna to perform at the "Bodyweight Day", a big bodyweight training convention, where different sports an disciplines meet. And afterwards he gave a workshop and I got the pleasure to learn from him and hang out togehter.
Enjoy our second interview in which he offers us his fresh view on things and tells us about his first experiences in performing!
P.S.: Consider supporting us so we can keep...2019-07-3026 minHandstand DiarySonja Smith-Novak - The Story around Handstand DiaryThis was a pleasant, but unexpected experience! When we were in Amsterdam to visit some family over New Years, we wanted to connect with Max, a fellow handstand nerd, who I've been connecting with over Instagram for a while.
Little did I know that he and Ivo had planned to do an interview with me!
I guess this time I'll promote my own website then ;).
If you are a handstand nerd too, head over to www.handstanddiary.com and subscribe to all sorts of videos, revolving around the subject of handstands!
2019-07-3029 minHandstand DiaryYuval Ayalon - Finding Ease and Effortlessness in HandbalanceThis time I got the pleasure to meet master Yuval Ayalon, who has been around for years and influenced a great number of people in the handstand community.
In this interview he tells us about his journey, how he got into performing and handbalancing. We also get to talk about his thoughts on a handstand practice and the journey to a one arm handstand.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-2938 minHandstand DiaryNeven Gerenčir - A new and better Life through HandbalancingIn this interview Neven Gerenčir, student at INAC in Portugal, tells us all about how handbalance changed his life and himself as a person. For me, he is a perfect example of how handbalance can be so much more than just an activity or a skill. For many of us (me included, obviously) it can be a means to connect with people, who appreciate you the way you are and understand you. It can be a means to get in touch with yourself and literally help you stay mentally and physically sane through it's meditative and focused, body a...2019-07-2933 minHandstand DiaryMau Jara - His Journey and Finding BalanceFirst time I saw a post of Mau Jara on Instagram (@maujara) just a few months back, I was amazed. This guy was staying on his hands forever, was jumping onto his hands on tables and playing around. And it looked as if all the strength moves were just another random thing for him. At that point I thought: where has this guy been all this time I've been connecting with people about handbalance??
We went to Porto, where he teaches at the circus school INAC to visit him and learn from him. And as always we...2019-07-2834 minHandstand DiaryPaul Twyman - How to achieve a One Arm HandstandPaul Twyman is a “late starter” on the handstand journey, which is even more impressive knowing that he has a big family to take care of. On top of that he just recently opened his own gym “Aspen Coaching” in Perth, together with some friends.
You can absolutely tell that Paul has a huge passion for handstands and teaching comes to him very naturally. He’s had a huge impact on the development of the amazing handstand community in Perth, that I had so much fun immersing myself in.
So I hope you enjoy this interview...2019-07-2836 minHandstand DiaryDavid Marion - Efficiency Daddy Life and Injuries in HandbalanceDavid Marion, a great gymnastics and movement coach I met in Perth talks about his experiences in his own training and coaching. He's probably one of the most stubborn guys I've met so far, when it comes to keep working on yourself despite of unfavourable circumstances.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-2731 minHandstand DiaryHarry Williams - Individual Style in HandbalanceThis weeks episode is with Harry Williams (@holisticmovement on Instagram), one of the best handbalance coaches in the Perth community of movers. In this interview we go into detail about handbalance technique and form and why an individual style is more favourable.
The large amount of students he's been coaching online and in real life over the last few years has included all kinds of different people with different goals and levels. This has made him very savvy in being able to help different kinds of individuals to get where they want with their training.
2019-07-2741 minHandstand DiaryLewis Yost - The Importance of a Community in HandbalanceI was super excited to meet Lewis Yost (aka Lew Dog Millionaire), the young handbalance prodigy of Perth.
He's only 17 years old and has gotten to a pretty high level in relation to the short time he's been handbalancing. Scroll through his Instagram @lewis_handbalancing to see what I'm talking about. In this episode he tells us about how he got started practicing at his fridge, cause his Mom didn't want him to dirty the wall.
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...2019-07-2622 minHandstand DiaryAndrii Bondarenko - Story of a glamorous Performing LifeIn this interview Andrii Bondarenko tells us about his life as a performer, the good side and the sacrifices that come with it. He is currently the solo handbalancer of the Show KURIOS by Cirque du Soleil, performing a very hard act, where he balances on chairs.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-2633 minHandstand DiaryRyan Hurst - Awareness and Autoregulation in HandstandsHead Coach and co-founder of GMB Fitness, Ryan Hurst tells us about his perspectives on the importance of building awareness during the process of learning skills, such as the handstand.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-2533 minHandstand DiaryRama & Shakti - Handbalance in YogaAt first it was their beautiful backbend handstands that caught my attention and made me curious. But as I got to know them I realized that there was a whole world behind that. In this interview they tell us about their handstand practice and how it has influenced their development as human beings. We also talk about the role handstands play in yoga vs. other purely physical contexts. Both of them have a unique way of going about their practice, which I find very interesting and I'm sure that it makes them a great team, since they seem to...2019-07-2519 minHandstand DiaryMiguel Sant'ana - Strong Handstands and his JourneyMeet the man who inspired me to start my handbalancing journey exactly one year ago. It was just now that I got the chance to meet him in person and learn from him.
Miguel Sant'ana is one of the best known handstand teachers out there. He also has a very authentic way and style of teaching that can best be understood through your own experience. His way of teaching is very physical and direct and his passion for teaching and for the art in itself plays a huge role in the way he does it. As he...2019-07-2427 minHandstand DiaryEmmet Louis - Perspectives on TeachingI was very fortunate to finally get to work with the Splits Wizard Emmet Louis. He is especially known for his ability to unlock flexibility in adults. Little did I know that he is about so so so much more than big flexibility gains. While spending some time with him at the Handstand Factory Launch Retreat I got to learn about unexpected things like Da Xuan practices, Gua Sha and I got to try aerial straps for the first time. But what struck me the most is Emmets clear way of seeing things in regards to physical development. He...2019-07-2423 minHandstand DiaryYuri Marmerstein - From Tekken to Handstands and AcrobaticsYuri is one of the most reflective teachers I know and he has a lot of valuable things to say about any subject in movement really. Having taught himself without really having been guided by any coach or teacher, he got to where he is today mostly by practicing by himself and reflecting upon it. His engagement on social media and on the internet in general make it easy for anybody who is interested in learning acrobatic skills to get some knowledge, ideas and inspiration from him.
P.S.: Consider supporting us so we...2019-07-2336 minHandstand DiarySascha Bachmann - His Life as a Pro HandbalancerI got to meet Sascha Bachmann aka the Germinator. Not only is he a total beast when it comes to his skills, but I also had one of the best handbalance sessions with him that was filled with new insights for my own practice. This guy is awesome!
After studying at the National Circus School of Montreal for 5 years, Sascha is now performing in different shows across the globe. In this interview he shares a little bit of his experience with us about his life as a performer and how he manages his training and recovery.
2019-07-2310 minHandstand DiaryMorgan Lee - Handstand Life and becoming a PerformerAfter having talked to his brother Josh last week, I'm excited to present this interview with Morgan, his younger brother.
This time we talked a bit more about their next steps after having reached such a high level in such a short amount of time.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-2215 minHandstand DiaryJosh Lee - The Mental Game in HandbalanceIn this interview with Josh he tells us about his take on the mental game. He tells us about different personality types he has seen to work well with what is required to get to a high level in handbalance. He has a very interesting perspective on this and has managed to open my mind. So enjoy the interview!
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-0814 minHandstand DiaryHelgi Freyr - From a PhD in Physics to owning a Gym and One Arm HandstandsHelgi Freyr, one of three owners of the gym Primal Iceland, has changed his entire life during the last five years, since he started to move his body. In this interview he tells us about his journey from being overweight and having a torn adductor to being known as the handstand coach of Iceland and being able to do one arm handstands and splits.
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It's never too late to do what you love,
Soundschi2019-07-0847 minHandstand DiaryMikael Kristiansen - Obsessiveness Reasonability and HandstandsIf you have a hard time making sense of how you should practice your handstands, this video is for you. Mikael Kristiansen is one of the best known handstand coaches in the field, trying to make handstands and everything related understandable intellectually as well as physically. If you've ever been to any of his workshops, I'm sure you've had some aha-moments, as he has a very clear and comprehensible way of explaining things around handbalance to get a general understanding about technique and the practice.
He himself is a circus artist specialised in handbalance freelancing his way...2019-07-0820 minHandstand DiaryUlrik Ask Fossum - Patience and Commitment in HandbalanceTodays episode is about the guy who has helped me with my training for the last 7 months. Ulrik Ask Fossum is a handbalancer (I guess by now we can call him that) and coach. He has laser-sharp focus and knows exactly what he wants. That's why he goes and gets it! But it's not all bunnies and butterflies. Here he tells us about the up and down game, the hard work he had to do and the kind of commitment he decided to take to become good at handbalance. If you are just starting out, but you are hooked...2019-07-0821 minHandstand DiaryChristine Unger - Why its NEVER too late to learn a HandstandHave you always dreamed of following your passion of being a handbalancer, a dancer or even being on stage, but you think you're too old to start? Meet Christine, who started Poledancing at the age of 51 and is about to prepare for her first international competition! You will hear about what it's like to take a big leap in your life at an age, where most people already think about retirement.
Christine is as inspiring to you as she is to me? Come on over to www.handstanddiary.com/nevertoolate and share what it is you wanna...2019-07-0617 min