Handstand Quest

Moving from Medium. Original post Oct 23 2019.

I’ve been trying to find ways to motivate myself to do handstands daily and improve the time I can hold a handstand.

The Search

To do so, I started looking for a mechanism that can help me track the length of handstand holds, within minimal effort, so I can focus on practicing rather than log keeping. Clearly, the key was that the tracking needed to happen hands free.

I started by leveraging the Gyroscope on a phone, and then realized it’s not that practical to attach a phone on me while I am attempting a handstand. It generally falls out of pocket, if I happen to be wearing anything with pockets. And to be honest, it’s a lot of overhead to be wearing a waist belt with pockets anytime I want to feel motivated to do handstands. I started thinking about a specialized small device that attaches to the foot, but then again, it is yet another device that needs to be charged, worn, and put somewhere so it won’t get lost.

The Solution

When I thought I ran out of options, I realized that using voice could be promising. It’s hands free, doesn’t require any setup, and does not force me to attach something to my body. I also wanted something without that tax of having to say “Hey Siri/Google, start my app X” every time. To put it to the test, I started building an iPhone app to see how it would turn out and whether it could actually be practical. And voilà, I think I’ve put together an MVP for the first mobile app of its kind that leverages voice commands to guide a workout, one exercise at a time.

Let’s Win Together

Before rolling it out to the app store, I want to figure out if the current minimum set of functionality that I’ve put together is enough to help someone, other than myself, improve their own handstand hold time.

If you’ve read so far, it means you’re serious about handstands, and I think we have a win-win.

If you use the app daily for 7 days, a heart icon will show up in the app, so you can provide your feedback on your experience with the app. Once your feedback is submitted, I will record your name to give you lifetime access to the app for free, including all future updates and improvements I make to it on all platforms.

If you are interested, follow the steps below to join me on this Handstand Quest!

Sneak Peak (Oct 2019)

Steps to Join

Go to the website (https://www.handstandquest.com) to get the App.

Use the app for 7 days. After 7 days, a new button will light up in the top menu. Submit your feedback and continue to use the app as you see fit. I will be making updates based on your feedback, and you will receive those updates.

Enjoy handstanding and I am looking forward to hear how this app will help you improve your handstands!