Handbalancing Internship and random encounters in France

On the road again, this time towards Croatia. One long week to come after five days in the upsidedown realm. The handbalancing internship is over.

I had never spent such a long time on my hands in a week. Double session everyday for 5 days. Surprisingly my body was more sore in the second day than in the last. (one session per day is ok, but two 3+ hour each is a marathon).

 Tough stuff but interesting to see how fast my body readapted to that volume of work. Once the prehab is done right, the joints are healthy and the torso can support the weight of the body for endless time with minimal fatigue - It just feels like a long hike. You feel the fatigue but the body can take it and can keep going. However, after every long break it needs some minutes to get back into the zone.

I was living with 8 partners in crime in a commune that looked like a horror circus - Animakt. Old cracking wood everywhere, weird mechanisms to open the doors and a light system with its own will. A perfect place to tell stories in the evening and to practice hard during the day.

All my companions were very easy going and I have enjoyed their company.

The room we used to practice was a flat stage made of a cold surface perfect to counter balance the heat coming from the outside.

Yuval dedicated the first part of each day to practice some basics. It all started with some mobilization and prehab for wrists and shoulders to then look into some basic position holds and entries to handstands. Full position, small and full tuck, small and full straddle and so on – looking at lines, body and hand positioning for optimal development. We did not miss also different wall holds progressions and blindfolded material.

In the afternoon the practice moved more towards advanced bits of practice, going from dynamic positions into one armed elements. My left arm is catching up with the right, and I can finally hold 4 consistent seconds. Now the work goes into cleaning up the full position and the small straddle. By my birthday 4^th oct – 2017 I am going to post a 10 secs on the right and 10 secs on the left in the same set. I am going to give my best into this and let’s see what happens.

Overall I am satisfied with the days and the principles I am isolating from all this work. By my understanding so far, a strong labor on the basics as well as a high frequency is necessary before getting into more advanced work. Rushing towards complex elements leads to injuries, frustration and chronic plateaus on the long term. As usual, getting along with people that traced part of the road before us is the best idea.

After the internship, I went to Fountainbleau with no water and no food since I had one day completely free and I did not want to waste time thinking about that. Fasting is great to save time.

Of course, I had no idea on how to get back from the forest to Paris nor if the place I got to was the correct one to meet my friends from parkourone. It obviously turned out perfectly – found the water in an old cemetery and met all the guys sooner than later.

Thomas also turned up at the middle of the day and we had a great training between the high rocks and the magical trees. He has been leading us through his environment climbing some routes, jumping some hard jumps, dealing with heights and tricks for the mind. A pressure no pressure very old style, in a mixture between being playful and being dead serious. Sometimes because you could die in your imagination and a moment after because you could seriously die if you don’t focus enough.

Genuine sessions, loved them. In the evening Thomas hosted me and made me feel home. He has been a great host, we talked about our practices, our travels and got some practical advices I can’t wait to apply. Hope I can come back soon to visit brother!

Yes, it was only one day, but what does ‘only’ mean? Our time is limited, one day can worth more than many. Time is a perception.

Marcello.