How To Hand Glide

The hand glide, also known as the hand spin, is probably the easiest glide, next to the back spin.

You will have to know how to support your weight by stabbing your elbow inside and above your hip bone.

If you don’t know how to stab your elbow, you should refer to the baby freeze tutorial , and then move on to the hand spin.

Get a beanie, or a glove, or a sheet of paper, or anything else that has low traction on the floor, and get ready to hand glide.

Starting Position

Start out by getting in the hand glide position (that was predictable… I know).

This position has you on the ground, with only your arms supporting your weight.

One elbow should be stabbed on the inside of your upper hip, with the other arm out to the side (and bent at the elbow) for balance.

You’ll be gliding or spinning on the arm with the stabbed elbow, since it's holding all your weight.

The arm that is out for balance will be pushing (or tapping) to give you more speed as you start spinning.

If you’re trying this move for the first time, your head should never touch the ground while your spinning.

You don’t want to damage that pretty face of yours, so just stop yourself if your head is about to hit the ground.

Practice putting more weight on the outside / lower part of your palm (where your wrist meets your forearm), because you’ll be spinning on the bone that’s there.

The Push Off

If this is your first time trying this move, I suggest you start off with small pushes, to get used to spinning (before you spin your face into the floor).

The key a good handspin is speed though, because it makes it easier to balance, and easier to transition into harder moves.

It’s possible to generate a large amount of speed and momentum by:

1) using your legs during the initial push off,

2) using your balancing arm (the one that is not stabbed) to give a huge push to start, and then smaller and smaller pushes as you build up speed, and

3) keeping your upper and lower body as balanced as possible (so you don’t lose speed) .

Once you’re in the starting position, put your feet down on the ground (and spread them out).

You will want to readjust your body position, so that you can get the best push off possible.

Now swing your right leg towards your left leg, if your right elbow is stabbed inside your hip.

As you do this with your legs, you should reach above your head (with your left arm), and push off the ground, in a circular motion that’s going towards your hip.

Reverse these directions is your left elbow is stabbed.

Progressions

Practice holding the position without spinning, then try spinning slowly, and then build up speed.

Once you’re comfortable spinning in a certain position, do one of the following:

1) practice spinning in a different position,

2) practice switching positions (once you’re already spinning), or

3) practice transitioning into it and out of it, with different moves.

Invent your own positions to spin in, and then incorporate them into routine.

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