-Akhila S

Gymnasts are often told how the entirety of gymnastics is just a moving handstand. Once you've perfected the handstand, one of the essential skills in the sport, you can master most of the other events and forms on the 4-inch wide balance beam much easier!

Our brains can deal with maintaining body balance most of the time. It can handle the split-second long breaks during walking when we are balancing on one foot. This is easier than a beam form because our feet have a relatively larger surface area than our hands or toes. But it's a different case with handstands, and let's dive into the physics behind it to see why.

When a coach calls out, "Tuck in your tummy!", or "Stay tight!", they're emphasising how important it is to maintain your center of mass for a handstand. The center of mass of an object is the average weighted position of all of the tiny masses that comprise the object. Our center of mass is generally present slightly above our belly buttons.

Suppose the gymnast can maintain a centre of gravity that is entirely vertical. In that case, they will hold the handstand position because the gravitational and normal forces will balance one another. Professional gymnasts are masters at keeping their bodies in an almost perfectly vertical line. All their movements are so balanced that the center of mass moves only straight up and down. This is the primary reason they are so hard: it is difficult for an untrained beginner not to tip over to either side.

The secret to helping you steer your center? Use your fingers: if you start to fall forward, press hard into your fingertips, and your body will oscillate back toward an upright position. Inversely, if you start falling backwards, you need to push into the base of your hand at the palm. In addition to grappling with force and mass, you will need core strength, arm and shoulder strength, and open shoulders to nail the handstand.

And there you go! Handstands 101 done! Of course, when you are upside down, you might not be in the best position to recognise your mistakes, let alone correct them. So make sure you start your balancing exercise with someone who can guide you through the process, someone who has preferably already perfected the form. Good luck!

References:

http://www.brightchen.com/gymnastcorner/physics/handstand.htm

https://www.chrisgatti.com/blog/2019/10/6/a-simple-model-of-the-handstand

https://www.physicscentral.com/explore/plus/handstand-physics.cfm

https://www.vox.com/2016/8/11/12132588/balancing-hands-handstand-secret