Push ups provide the foundation of upper body pushing strength and should not be neglected. Always perform push ups in a full range of motion and don’t cheat. When lowering and pressing up, make sure your elbows are bending at a 45 degree angle behind you, not straight out to the sides. At the bottom position, your body should roughly form the shape of an arrow, rather than a T. [2] X Research source Once regular push ups become easy, increase the difficulty by elevating your feet, adding weight in the form of a vest or weight plate positioned on the lower back, or doing clapping push ups. [3] X Research source
Because the handstand push up is a movement that requires explosive strength, try to keep the intensity of weight training exercises high and the repetitions in the 5-8 range. This will condition the muscles to push hard against heavy weight, thus helping you gain strength. [5] X Research source If you don’t have access to weights or gym equipment, you can target the shoulder muscles by changing your push up technique. Hindu push ups and shoulder push ups both shift the emphasis of the movement to the deltoids and trapezius and more closely simulate a handstand pressing position. [6] X Research source
Pull-ups and hanging leg raises are also effective for strengthening the muscles of the core because they require constant tension in the midsection, similar to their function in a handstand. [8] X Research source [9] X Research source
To perform a dead hang, find a pull-up bar or ledge and simply hang from it, supporting your entire body weight by your fingers and forearms. Farmer’s walks are one of the easiest exercises to do and also one of the most beneficial. Just find two heavy objects with handles or a place to grip (kettle bells, water jugs and cement bags make great weights for farmers walks) and start walking. That’s it! If you’re crafty, you can also try making a forearm roller to build grip strength. [11] X Research source
Headstands can cause strain on the neck if you’re not careful because your weight is being partially supported by the top of your head. Use a pillow for cushioning if it’s your first time and don’t hold it for too long. Make sure you’re bearing your weight on the shoulders and forearms/hands, not the neck itself.
Once inverted, your back should be slightly arched with only the soles of the feet or toes making contact with the wall. If your back touches the wall, it means you’re too rounded or off your axis and you’ll lose balance. If you find that you’re having trouble kicking up to the wall, begin instead by facing away from the wall and walking your feet up a little at a time until you’re inverted; this can also make a good conditioning drill for relying on core and shoulder stability.
In a freestanding handstand, maintain your balance by pressing hard against your fingers when you feel yourself leaning too far forward, and bending the elbows slightly while pressing against the palms when you start leaning backwards.
You can also wear a weighted vest to make regular handstands more challenging, or do them on grass or uneven surfaces.
Lower yourself in a slow, controlled manner and push up quickly and explosively. Doing the “negative” portion of the movement slowly will further improve stability and endurance. [17] X Research source Have the spotter grab your legs when you push them up and hold them steady until you have found your balance. Aim to complete 1-3 handstand push ups using a wall at first, then work your way up from there.
These can be done against a wall, or out of a headstand if you also want to practice balancing on the way up.
If you need extra leverage to complete the push up and your balance is good enough, arch your back slightly so that your head is thrust ahead of your hands instead of being between them. This will place more emphasis on the larger, stronger muscles of the upper chest and can give you the mechanical advantage you need. [21] X Research source Don’t be discouraged if you fall or can’t push yourself all the way up on the first couple attempts. The handstand push up is a very advanced move and requires a lot of specific practice in addition to general strength. Master your handstand and focus on doing partial push ups and the full push up will come naturally.
