Can you do a handstand?

[mkats]

As inspired by Johnny's story of taking himself out of contention for the GPF after falling in a handstand contest with Evan Lysacek

Can most skaters do a handstand? I imagine most pairs skaters could, but does the average single skater have enough upper body strength to do so - or is there no correlation at all? Are most skaters also capable of some sort of gymnastics?

I can't. I've got all my single jumps sans axel, but I'd be from a handstand contest.

[overedge]

Only if I'm wearing grey pointy-toed shoes and am "partying"

[Aussie Willy]

Hell No. But I voted Purple.

I remember a story about Christopher Dean trying to do a handstand on crutches. He had broken his leg motor racing in Australia and was bored while recovering. Needless to say it didn't work.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

I can do a handstand. I hadn't done one in years, until last summer, when my daughter asked me to teach her how to do cartwheels. In a public park. So... I did. In front of people. I also showed her a handstand/forward roll, as well as just individual handstands.

[Clarice]

If I tried to do a handstand, I'd probably get a concussion from my head smacking into the floor.

[Ozzisk8tr]

I can do a handstand. I hadn't done one in years, until last summer, when my daughter asked me to teach her how to do cartwheels. In a public park. So... I did. In front of people. I also showed her a handstand/forward roll, as well as just individual handstands.

I hope you tucked your skirt into your knickers before doing said handstand. I've seen many a little girl do a handstand then scream at everyone not to look when their skirt flops upside down and they start flashing their panties.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

I hope you tucked your skirt into your knickers before doing said handstand. I've seen many a little girl do a handstand then scream at everyone not to look when their skirt flops upside down and they start flashing their panties.

Yes, I did. Last thing I wanted to do was blind my audience with a view of my giant, ghostly-white belly.

And I make my daughter wear shorts under her skirts.

[gkelly]

I could never do a handstand. I had a mental block about it in tumbling class as a kid, so I never made much progress. If someone caught my legs and held them or put them against the wall, I could stay there for a few seconds on my own, but I never had the guts or balance to kick up to the right position on my own.

I guess that would be comparable to getting stuck on, say, the loop jump or backspin in learning to figure skate. Can't learn any of the higher skills that build on it.

I could do cartwheels though and still could as of a couple years ago.

I've known a couple competitive skaters who also studied gymnastics so they could do a lot more than handstands. And I remember one guy walking on his hands in the rink lobby a number of years ago, but I don't know whether that was just a self-taught skill.

[LilJen]

I can *do* a handstand, but it never lasts more than a second. Headstands, on the other hand. I was the headstand champ in gymnastics. . . 30 years ago, cough cough I can still do a headstand but it gives me a headache now!

[sk8er1964]

I bet I could! All I would need was two....maybe three...very strong men to help me get into postition then pull my body upwards by the legs, taking, of course, all of my weight off of my arms.

[Lacey]

My father had a mastoid infection before penicillin was invented, around 1930. He spent two years in a hospital, had the bone behind his ear and five ribs in his back removed to carve out the infection. The grooves were horrendously deep, I think they called it a rib resection. He lived. None of the armed forces would take him for WW2, but he worked for the War Department. Could never obtain life insurance. But he lived to 76.

The point about handstands is that he could walk up and down our long living room on his hands, in a gorgeous moving handstand, without stopping, for the duration of my entire childhood, about 30 years after. He obviously couldn't have done contact sports, so went out for gymnastics. Astounding.

[Bonita]

I have a neck and shoulder injury, so no way. My yoga teachers won't even let me try. I think it has nothing to do with skating (except as stated pairs). I am adult silver level freestyle and low level dance.

[skatefan]

I hope you tucked your skirt into your knickers before doing said handstand.

omg I remember doing that

[Skittl1321]

I could never do a handstand (except against a wall) even when I was at my fittest.

I too used to be a headstand champ and could do one with my legs in pretty much every position, but after I broke my neck (unrelated) I've never tried one again- I'm too worried about the pressure it may put on it.

However, I would imagine most elite skaters have the upper body strength to do a headstand. Those kids are FIT!

[briancoogaert]

Of course, but I was a gymnast before starting skating !