The Minds Behind Tratsym
Two passionate movement specialists who transformed their shared fascination with handstand training into a comprehensive wellness platform. Meet the founders who believe that true strength comes from understanding your body's unique potential.
Zephyr Morningside
Co-Founder & Movement Director
Zephyr discovered handstands during a particularly stressful period in 2019 while working as a software engineer. What started as a way to decompress after long coding sessions evolved into something much deeper. He spent two years studying under various movement coaches, eventually realizing that most handstand instruction focused too heavily on strength without addressing the mental aspects.
His background in systems thinking helped him develop a more holistic approach to handstand training. Zephyr believes that every person's handstand journey is different, and cookie-cutter programs miss the individual nuances that make the difference between frustration and breakthrough.
Meridian Blackstone
Co-Founder & Wellness Architect
With a background in physical therapy and a decade of yoga instruction, Meridian brings the anatomical expertise that grounds Tratsym's approach. She became fascinated with handstands after recovering from a wrist injury that traditional PT couldn't fully address. Through careful handstand practice, she regained not just strength but also confidence in her body's resilience.
Meridian has worked with over 300 clients individually, helping them navigate everything from fear of falling to chronic shoulder tension. Her philosophy centers on meeting people exactly where they are, rather than where they think they should be.
Our Teaching Philosophy
We've learned that handstand mastery isn't about copying someone else's technique. It's about understanding your own body and building a practice that works for your specific strengths and limitations.
Individual Assessment First
Before suggesting any exercises, we help students understand their current mobility, strength patterns, and any compensations they might have developed. This prevents injuries and accelerates progress by addressing the right areas from the start.
Mental Skills Integration
Fear and overthinking kill more handstand attempts than weak shoulders ever will. We teach specific techniques for managing the psychological aspects of being upside down, including breath work and gradual exposure methods.
Progressive Skill Building
Every student progresses differently. Some need more wrist preparation, others require extensive shoulder mobility work. Our approach adapts to these individual timelines rather than pushing everyone through identical progressions.