Why I think everyone should try a Paddleboard-Handstand

Blood rushes to my head at a dizzying rate. I’m struggling for balance.  My mom is yelling something in the background. I’m too focused to hear her.  I notice my body tilt towards the frigid, crashing waves. 

“Nonononono, stay up!” I scream as I start falling.

Uh-oh …

The lake embraces me with a chilling grip, bubbles swirling violently around me.

Don’t worry. I’m fine (maybe a little cold, though, so I could go for some hot chocolate).  I was trying to do a handstand on my paddleboard.  I swam towards my paddleboard through the murky water and tried again.  I began my handstand journey with my little brother (Aadhav) to spend time with my family before I left for college.  I can hold a handstand pretty well (as long as I’m on the ground rather than, say, a paddleboard in the middle of a lake) and am trying to teach my brother how.  Calisthenics is now a tradition Aadhav and I have every other morning, allowing us to learn more about each other between pushup sets and plank holds.  But the resilience that comes with holding a handstand extends beyond calisthenics into Track and Field during 300m/110m Hurdles, running after rockets, and even long building nights in my basement.

I definitely recommend trying this out yourself.  Working out, in general, improves mental and physical health with confidence boosts, better sleep, and more energy.  It’s like a power-up! Right now, I workout every other day(I work most muscle groups in one day–see below, take a rest day, repeat).  

Useful links:

Chris Heria: Profesional Calenthenics Athlete

Full body workout: Make sure to do this 3-4 times! The different variations make it a great starting point for beginners and advanced athletes. You’ll need to find other workouts that suit your needs (trust me, you’ll get bored doing the same workout every day).