Handstand

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Being able to do a handstand is pretty impressive. It demonstrates a fair amount of strength, mobility, and large amount of skill. For many people, simply being able to do a handstand is one of their goals. Once they get it, they then want to be able to hold it longer. Besides being impressive and motivational, handstands are also great for developing shoulder strength, core stability, and balance.

The Basics

The handstand is an upper body vertical pushing exercise. It's also isometric, meaning that it's performed as a static hold rather than for reps. While the handstand is a strength exercise to a degree, it's better thought of as a skill in terms of training and programming it.

The Basics

The handstand is primarily used as a strength exercise.

Form

Kick Up

• Place both your hands on the ground about shoulder width apart
• Keep your arms straight, but not locked
• One of your legs should be bent and in a good position to push off the ground
• The other leg should be off the ground and held straight in line with your torso
• Push off with your one leg, driving your hips and extended leg up so they end up directly above your torso and arms
• Find your balance by increasing or decreasing how hard you're pressing with your fingers

The Hold

• Your entire body should be stacked as a straight line above your hands
• Keep your shoulders extended
• Keep a neutral core and pelvis
• Maintain your balance using your finger pressure

Common Mistakes

Improper Alignment

Having bent legs, or an arched back during a handstand is sign of not being properly balanced and possibly a sign that your mobility could be improved. Ideally, everything should be stacked in a straight line.

Hands Too Wide

Your hands should be placed shoulder width apart. Going any wider or narrower means they're not directly underneath your shoulders.

Additional Info

Strength or Skill

The handstand does require a fair amount of vertical pushing strength, however, it doesn't do that great of a job improving your pushing strength. The reason being is that shoulder strength is very rarely the reason someone falls out of their handstand. More often it's a lack of proper alignment and balance that causes them to fall.

As such, the handstand is much better to train as a skill rather than a strength exercise. This means that it can be practiced much more often, even daily, for best results.

Mobility

Having the requisite mobility is a large component of being able to perform a good handstand. If you're lacking mobility in your shoulders, thoracic spine, wrists or hips it's going to make doing a handstand much harder.

Getting Started

If you're new to handbalancing, there are many ways to work up to doing a freestanding handstand. There are some easier progressions listed in the Related Exercises section below. The most common and generally useful method is doing wall handstands and using the wall less and less as you get better at balancing.

Bailing

Knowing how to fall out of a handstand is important for your safety, as well as your confidence in training. It's hard to properly train if you're hesitant about falling. Most people aren't worried about falling back, they're worried about falling over. A good way to bail if you fall over is to step one hand forward, allowing you to then sort of cartwheel out.

Related Exercises

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