HALOZ
The best way to start halos is of course out of a windmill, being that halos
are basically windmills without your back. It's a little more difficult to
learn halos without the windmill, because you won't have any momentum.
These instructions are for spinning counterclockwise.
1) Do a single windmill and catch yourself on your hands like you
normally would do to set up for the next windmill, with your left hand
tucked into your left hip and your right hand to the side, and rest the left
side of your head on the floor.
2) Push your body up with both hands so that you are in sort of a diagonal
headstand, and at the same time push with your right hand like you would
for a handglide. This maneuver is called a headglide or an Icey Ice. Your
legs should be automatically wound up to whip your body around, without
you actually thinking about it.
Tip -- it's a good thing to practice a headglide, without the spin, out of a
single windmill before going on to halos. Just windmill, catch, push
sideways (but not up), and attempt to spin on one hand while the side of
your head glides on the floor. Wear a beanie or grow an afro.
3) At the same time as #2, unwind your legs by throwing your right leg up
first, then immediately throw your left leg up and around your right leg in a
circular motion. #s 2 and 3 will be done all at once, very quickly.
Remember, this is basically a windmill motion on your head, so think of it
that way while you're doing it. Make sure you keep your legs split, as they
have a tendency to come together, causing your body to drill.
4. You are going to let go of the floor with your hands when you start the
headglide, one hand at a time. First the right hand lets go, but not until after
you've initiated the glide and begun to turn over on your head, then the left,
but the left hand should stay on the ground until you have spun around to
the point where the left hand is forced to leave the ground. This should be
automatic also. You then need to whip your shoulders around in a
headspin-type motion after letting go and while your legs are swinging
around as mentioned in #3, then you need to catch the floor first with your
right hand before you complete the full 360 degree spin, then with the left
hand, and your left hip should come to rest right back on your left elbow.
From here you should be able to set up for another spin, by winding up
your legs all over again.
Keep in mind that you must have a strong neck for halos, and your
windmills should be pretty advanced. It's also good to warm up and
stretch out your shoulders before practicing halos, because the rotator cuff
is very sensitive and can be injured very easily from being twisted in
directions that it's not supposed to go. The wrists, fingers, elbows, neck,
and cranium are also at risk from doing this move. Headspins are NOT a
requirement for halos, as is somewhat commonly believed, but being able
to headspin doesn't hurt, because the more moves you have down pat, the
more coordinated your body will be, and power moves are ALL about
total body coordination.
Once you have good control of your halos, you'll be ready for double
halos, and eventually triple halos. Lil Cesar and Orko could even pull
quadruple and quintuple halos with a drilled technique back in the days.
Email: pzb@usa.net
