Can you do a perfect handstand? Health editor gives herself 5 weeks to learn
Pulling off this fundamental gymnastics position requires excellent strength and stability in your shoulders, core and gluteal muscles, and a sharp sense of body awareness and balance, says Pure Fitness gymnastic movement coach Amy Ridge.
Holding a gymnastics handstand, where the body is in a perfect straight line with no arch in the lower back, requires a conscious effort to tense the entire body.
"It's very important to engage all the muscles and make the body one unit," says Ridge, who has been involved in gymnastics for about two decades. Fail to do so and you'll flop.
Being able to do a handstand lays a solid foundation for other exercises and aids all-round athletic development.
A combination of finesse and strength, it also just looks darn cool. And that's why holding a perfect handstand has been on my bucket list - among other things like have a baby (check - 11 months ago), master French (long way to go) and open a bakery (still a dream).
So, taking advantage of the gymnastics area at Pure Fitness' newest outlet at California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong, I've embarked on a handstand challenge under the guidance of Ridge, who coached gymnastics in her native Britain for more than 10 years.