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HOW TO ACHIEVE A FREESTANDING HANDSTAND

🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️ Let’s Get on the Journey

Calisthenics relies on progressions in order to get closer to your fitness goals.

When you’re learning a calisthenics skill increasing strength is not enough – you need to think about mobility, flexibility, balance, endurance: all of these follows a progression that will get you there.

Another thing that you need to consider in your training is the learning process for a skill. Like any other proper training program, handstand training should be highly individualized since each person would start at a different level and respond differently to each stimulus. Especially when learning a skill similar to handstand, there are psychological barriers that you need to overcome, not only physical.

Also, your handstand training should also adjust to your current situation since consistently hitting a handstand is quite difficult for the beginning. And when you get your handstand consistently, holding a specific time consistently each day could still be difficult because of numerous factors can affect your skill work.

What matters is you training consistently and follow a proper progression to fully grasp the skill involved in executing the skill.

This is exactly what The Movement Athlete can provide you for your handstand goals: progressions.

WHAT IS A PROGRESSION? 🙄💡

Progressions are basically step-by-step process for learning a skill or improving your physical fitness attributes mentioned above.

Handstand isn’t an exception. When you start your journey to learning the handstand, you’ll be starting with the most basic progression.

After each progression, the next one will be harder and harder. It will also be more complex with multiple elements integrated into one exercise. You’re basically like playing a video game.

Unlocking each level will get you to a higher and much harder level.

This goes on until you reach your handstand which is a complex motor skill. The progressions will still go on up even when you’re trying to learn the harder handstand progressions.

👉WHEN AND HOW TO PROGRESS

To achieve a freestanding handstand we want to first make sure that you master a handstand fundamental. Note that where you start on this journey really depends on where are you at regards your current mobility and strength.,,

So if you have been lifting or training for a while you might start at step 15 or maybe you already can perform a mastery for a handstand fundamental .

If you are creating your own program you will want to see at which level you can perform a mastery reps and sets.

See at which level you can easily do 3 sets of 8 reps, then back up one step to a previous level. This is where you should start. For example, if you can do 3 sets of 8 reps of full push-ups, go back one step in the push-up progression and start there. Start with 3 sets of 3 half push-ups, then next session do 3 sets of 4, then 3 sets of 5. Once you build to 3 sets of 8 you can move on to the next step.

Our Movement Athlete Assessment is there to help you with just that and will walk you through a number of questions that will help determine your exact level.

Now you never want progress quicker than adding one repetition per workout. It is crucial you do not attempt to progress faster than this, but rather, stick to micro-increments of one extra repetition with each session. This not only allows for a smooth, constant progression, but it also gives the connective tissue in your joints time to adapt to the stresses placed on it, and reduces the risk of injury.

When Should I Progress? ⏳⏳⏳

One simple rule: you should move ahead when you’ve mastered the current skills and feel you can perform it completely. In our Movement Athlete Academy App – we guide you automatically so you don’t need to think about it.

You will hear a lot of calisthenics experts argue that it is very arbitrary to have a number of reps to progress, but after training thousands of athletes these are the optimal numbers that we feel will help everyone progress without getting injured. The micro incremental progressions that we develop will also make sure that there are no big gaps between the levels and steps so you will always feel like you are moving forward.

The one thing you should always remember is that you must not rush a progression. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with the current step.

🔓🤸‍♀️HANDSTAND TRAINING STRUCTURE

In calisthenics, progressions are the way to… well, you’ve guessed it, to progress. Progressions are a series of exercises from the easiest to the most difficult leading ultimately to a straight freestanding handstand.

When building a training program for any calisthenics skills we always use 4 categories:

✅ Strength

✅ Skill

✅ Muscle

✅ Endurance

Let’s look at each one of those separately.

Calisthenics programming for handstand

👉SKILL WORK

Technique is key in calisthenics. Skill movements are movements which are designed to either draw focus to specific technique cues, train important movement patterns for the subsequent strength movements or act as warm-ups for the strength movements. Skill movements are done at a low intensity and low total volume.

👉STRENGTH WORK

Strength movements or main movements are the reason we are here. These are the movements that will chart your progression through the world of calisthenics and bodyweight fitness. There is a large variation in strength movements, from easy to hard, low volume to medium/high volume, dynamic to static.

👉MUSCLE WORK

A bigger muscle has the potential to become a stronger muscle. Muscle movements are movements which are done at low-to-medium intensities and higher total volumes for the purpose of building muscle. The lower intensities also allow athletes to focus on the muscles involved and to get a good squeeze and pump. Many muscle movements are pulled from appropriate strength movements.

👉ENDURANCE WORK

Many calisthenics movements involve static holds. Endurance movements train the athletes capability to hold the body various positions. These are typically programmed to be easier than the equivalent strength movement holds. Instead, more work volume is added for more practice time.

Taken together, these different movement types are designed to produce skilled, strong and complete bodyweight athletes.

Note that very often calisthenic trainers would divided them into separate days, so 1 day you would be working on skill another day on muscle building another day on endurance.

In The Movement Athlete program we bring them all together in the most efficient way.

📍Why do we do it this way?

In an ideal situation (abundant time, energy, equipment), it can be beneficial to separate training goals or the systems being trained. For example, you would have a heavy strength workout on one day or at one time of day, then have a speed and agility workout on another day or at another time of day. Professional athletes often train like this, often with multiple sessions a day, six days a week. This allows the athlete and the athlete’s body to focus on the type of training of that session and to reduce interference from training several aspects of fitness concurrently.

The Movement Athlete does include workouts that focus on different aspects. However, due to various reasons, many of the typical workouts will train skill, strength, muscle development, endurance and flexibility in the same workout.

ok, Lets get to it already. Below we go into details on what it takes to accomplish Freestanding Handstand from zero.

First we will walk you through Handstand Fundamental progression which is a prerequisite to unlock (start working on) Freestanding handstand.

We will go into details about what are the exact exercises included and why.

Note that inside The Movement Athlete program we create your own training program based on your assessment and give you daily workouts – so you don’t need to think about any of these. You can try TMA for free for 7 days here.

🎯MILESTONE 1.

HANDSTAND FUNDAMENTAL

FREESTANDING HANDSTAND PREREQUISITE:

If you would be starting your handstand journey from absolute zero – you would start at step 1 of Handstand Fundamental.

🔎HANDSTAND FUNDAMENTAL – WHY

This is the level of absolute beginner; someone who has zero experience with hand balancing. They have basically never been upside down before.

Prerequisites: None

Goals: Working up to handstand against the wall

Priorities:

Our goal for this phase is for you to learn:

✅ Learn body alignment
✅ Find a resting position in arm support
✅ Get comfortable upside down
✅ Improve work capacity of being on the hands

Notice how mastering this skill unlocks a variety of other skills.

In today’s guide we will focus on Freestanding Handstand, but noticed that once you have your wall handstand you can easily progress to a walll handstand push-up.

As you can see, freestanding handstand will be locked until you master this skill.

In this way, like we mentioned earlier, you’ll ensure that you have shoulder and hip mobility, upper body and lower body (for entering a handstand) strength, strong core, and adequate body awareness to progress further in to a free-standing handstand.

In doing so, you’ll progress much faster and safer. Trying to do a free-standing handstand without the necessary foundations will only get you frustrated because you’ll learn slower. You might not learn at all! Also, the last thing you’d want is to fall face-straight-first into the ground.

Do it step by step slowly.

🔐 HANDSTAND FUNDAMENTAL PROGRESSION

AND TRAINING STRUCTURE

Skill training, especially handstands, not only involves physical demands, but also it requires you to overcome psychological barriers.

These physiological barriers are:
Fear of inversion – We’re used to being upright most of our lives so being inverted could be pretty scary at first.

Fear of falling over – You’re scared because you haven’t learned the right technique yet to hold yourself in the position. Once you’ve got it, it’ll be easy.

These barriers prevents you from pushing through your comfort zone. As beginners in handstand, you must first get the basic strength of the push-up position and get comfortable at least with headstands or the feeling of inversion in hanging position.

From there, you may proceed slowly with your chest-to-wall handstand and make your way upwards while solidifying your body alignment.

With chest-to-wall handstands, start in a push-up position with your feet against the wall. Slowly walk walk your feet upwards and slowly move your hands closer to the wall. Hold a position which gives you enough challenge to hold around 30 seconds. As you get more comfortable, you can walk more into a more vertical position until you get your chest touching the wall and you’re fully in a handstand position.

Key reminders you should be aware when you’re practicing your static handstand progressions:

✅Consistent hold time – keep your handstand progression hold in the 30 to 60 seconds range. Increase your hold time according to your skill level and try to keep it consistent.

✅Body Alignment – Straight line, straight arms, pelvic tilt

✅Body Awareness – You should be able to be aware of your mistakes and correct it while in holding the position

✅Body Control – Control your entrance and exit. Don’t just kick up and drop with dead weight after holding. Keep everything tight.

✅Breathing – How can you keep your handstand for forever if you’re not breathing? Breathing also helps with your body control if you’re doing it correctly.

With The Movement Athlete app, your handstand program will be already structured depending on your skill level. It will also address your weak points in your handstand and help you get over your fears slowly and safely.

You don’t have to worry about your program because the app got it covered for you. As you progress and unlock new skills, your program progresses with you!

Let’s talk about each of those elements:

💪Strength Element

Handstand is obviously an upper body dominant skill. You will have to work on strengthening the right muscles that will be used for handstands.

In a research conducted on gymnasts regarding influence of strength on quality of handstands, it was observed that the stronger the participants, the better the quality of their handstands are and can hold them longer.

Don’t worry about it being too difficult for you. There’s a progression that will start from the easiest exercise.

💪Strength Progression

Here are the list of exercises for developing strength:

1. Wall Stand

How to Perform:

To begin, stand in front of the wall a little further than arms length away. Legs straight, feet together, arms at your side.
Place your palms up on the wall, arms next to your ears, simultaneously step your feet back and straighten legs.
Your body should be in a straight line from your wrists to your ankles.
Hold position for specified time.
Step feet forward, bring arms down.

2. Downward Dog Hold

How to Perform:

Begin in a kneeling position.
Coming forward, place your hands out in front of you.
Rise up off knees, straighten legs.
Walk feet in as close to arms as possible, while keeping legs straight.
Push through arms, head looking back towards legs.
Feel a deep stretch in hamstrings. Hold for a specified time.
Return to kneeling position.

3. Downward Dog Shrugs

How to Perform:

Begin in a kneeling position.
Coming forward, place your hands out in front of you.
Rise up off knees, straighten legs.
Walk feet in as close to arms as possible, while keeping legs straight.
Push through arms, head looking back towards legs.
Push through your shoulders, scapular elevation, let your chin meet your chest.
Then relax traps as the heads lowers toward your elbows. All while keeping your arms strai
Repeat per specified repetitions.

4. Pike Shape Hold (Knees)

How to Perform:

Begin in a kneeling position with your back to the box.
Lean forward onto your arms, keeping them straight push through your shoulders and lift your knees up onto the box, knees bent with toes pointing towards the ceiling.
Keep legs straight and arms straight next to your ears.
Keep abdominals tight and eyes looking straight ahead at the box.
Hold the position for a specified time.
Lower legs to the ground when completed.

5. Pike Shape Hold

How to Perform:

To begin, place your hand on the floor, shoulder width apart.
Lean forward onto your arms, keeping them straight push through your shoulders.
Keep legs straight and together, and arms straight next to your ears. Heels off the floor.
Keep abdominals tight and eyes looking straight ahead at the feet.
Hold the position for a specified time.

6. Pike Shape Shrugs

How to Perform:

To begin, start in a kneeling position with your back to the box.
Lean forward onto your arms, keeping them straight, push through your shoulders and step your feet up onto the box.
Keep legs straight and together, and arms straight next to your ears.
Keep abdominals tight and eyes looking straight ahead at the box.
Push through straight arms, then shrug down lowering your head towards the ground without bending your arms.
Repeat shrugs.
Lower legs to the ground when completed.

7. L-Stand Hold

How to Perform:

Begin by standing up straight with the wall closely behind you, feet together arms at your sides.
Bend over keeping legs straight, place your palms on the floor. Push through shoulders and keep arms straight as you step your feet up the wall.
With feet on wall and legs straight, hips for a 90 degree angle.
Hold L position for specified time, then step feet back down to the floor.
Repeat per specified repetitions.

8. L-Stand Shrugs

How to Perform:

Bend down placing your palms on the floor, and walk your feet up the wall until you are in a handstand position with your legs parallel to the floor in the L shape.
With Legs together and in the L position with Arms straight and next to ears.
Push through your shoulders elevating the scapula.
Hold position, repeat per specified repetitions.
When finished, lower feet back down to the floor and stand up.

9. 3/4 Handstand

How to Perform:

To begin, stand in front of the wall with your back to it.
Bend down placing your palms on the floor, and walk your feet up the wall until your in a handstand position.
Keep body tight and in a straight line.
Legs together, and straight. Arms straight and next to ears.
Hold position for specified time.
When finished, lower feet back down to the floor and stand up.

10. Handstand Hold (Against the Wall)

How to Perform:

To begin, stand facing the wall.
Lean forward reaching palms toward the floor.
Kick up so back and legs are flat against the wall.
Point toes straight up, keep back, abs, and legs tense.

11. Wall Assisted Wall Walks

How to Perform:

To begin with you need to come down in the All fours or hands and knees position. Place your hands shoulder width apart.
Now straighten your legs such that the feet touch the wall. Make sure the feet are placed slightly apart on the wall.
The body is parallel to the floor and abs and low back are held tight.
From this initial position walk your hands towards the wall and walk your feet upwards on the wall such that you go close to the wall.
Walk back to the initial position.
Feel the tension in the abs, low back, thigh and arm muscles
Repeat for specified repetitions.

🤸‍♀️Skill Element

Strength alone wouldn’t help you get a handstand but it’s one part of it. Handstand is still a skill and requires skill-specific training to truly master the move.

🤸‍♀️Here are the exercises needed to learn the move:

1. Cat Camel

How to Perform:

1. Get on hands and knees with arms straight and back straight.
2. Relax back as you arch and lift head up.
3. Slowly transition to rounding back out, up toward the ceiling.
4. Repeat for specified repetitions.

2. Handstand Wall Kick ups (From Standing)

How to Perform:

1. Stand 2-3 feet away from the wall, facing the wall.
2. Step one leg forward.
3. Lift arms overhead to prepare the handstand entrance.
4. With control, while still using momentum, plant the hands close to the wall.
5. Immediately swing your backward leg upward.
6. Follow up with your other leg to complete the handstand position.
7. Align shoulders, hips, and legs to form a straight handstand while using the wall for balance.
8. Lower down to and go back to starting position.
9. Repeat the motion for specified repetitions.

3. Mini Lever

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Shift your weight forward while maintaining posture and liftback leg backward simultaneously. This places much weight on the forward leg, which is slightly bent. Axis should be at the hips. The body should not bend.
Shift back to the earlier position with both feet planted on the ground.
Repeat for specified reps.
Switch leg position and repeat for the same repetitions.
Repeat for specified repetitions.

4. Pike Walk Outs

How to Perform:

Begin standing up straight with your arms at your sides.
Keeping legs straight, bend over placing your palms on the ground, arms straight.
Walk your hands out away from your feet until you are in a push up position.
Pause in push up position, then walk your hands back in towards your feet.
Repeat for specified repetitions.

5. Half Lever

How to Perform:

1. Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step one leg forward.
3. Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
4. Shift your weight forward while maintaining posture and liftback leg backward simultaneously. The upper body should be aligned with legs parallel to the ground. This places much weight on the forward leg, which is slightly bent. Axis should be at the hips. The body should not bend.
5. Shift back to the earlier position with both feet planted on the ground.
6. Repeat for specified repetitions.
7. Switch sides and repeat for specified repetitions.

6. Handstand Wall Kicks up (From Wall)

How to Perform:

1. Stand 2-3 feet away from the wall, facing the wall.
2. Bend forward and plant your hands shoulder-width apart close to the wall. Keep your arms straight.
3. Swing your leading leg upward to enter the handstand.
4. Immediately follow up with your other leg to complete the handstand position.
5. Align shoulders, hips, and legs to form a straight handstand while using the wall for balance.
6. Lower down from starting position when hands are planted.
7. Repeat for specified repetitions.

🏋️‍♂️Muscle Element

You don’t need muscle building exercises for handstand as the skill is still fairly basic and as said earlier, doesn’t require a lot of strength. The muscle component overlaps here with the strength. So while you’re training for strength, you’re also building the necessary muscles through the strength exercise for a handstand.

🏃🏼Endurance Element

You’re not just going to hold a handstand for a second, right?

You’ll train for endurance to hold a handstand for 30seconds and more. Most of the exercises involve your core and for a good reason. Your core will be engaged the whole time to hold your proper form.

So here’s the list of exercises:

1. Downward Dog Hold

How to Perform:

Begin in a kneeling position.
Coming forward, place your hands out in front of you.
Rise up off knees, straighten legs.
Walk feet in as close to arms as possible, while keeping legs straight.
Push through arms, head looking back towards legs.
Feel a deep stretch in hamstrings. Hold for a specified time.
Return to kneeling position.

2. Pike Shape Hold

How to Perform:

To begin, place your hand on the floor, shoulder width apart.
Lean forward onto your arms, keeping them straight push through your shoulders.
Keep legs straight and together, and arms straight next to your ears. Heels off the floor.
Keep abdominals tight and eyes looking straight ahead at the feet.
Hold the position for a specified time.

3. Arms Plank Hold

How to Perform:

To begin with place your hands shoulder width apart and take weight through them.
Make sure the arms are straight and shoulders in line with the wrist. Look down.
Keep your legs straight and legs close together with toes resting on the floor.
Back slightly rounded and abs tight.
Make sure that the body is in a straight line.
Hold this position for specified time. Tighten the latissimus by imagining you are pulling the arms towards the toes. Tighten the chest muscles by imagining you are trying to bring the elbows close.

4. L-Stand Hold

How to Perform:

Begin by standing up straight with the wall closely behind you, feet together arms at your sides.
Bend over keeping legs straight, place your palms on the floor. Push through shoulders and keep arms straight as you step your feet up the wall.
With feet on wall and legs straight, hips for a 90 degree angle.
Hold L position for specified time, then step feet back down to the floor.
Repeat per specified repetitions.

5. Handstand Hold (Against the Wall)

How to Perform:

To begin, stand facing the wall.
Lean forward reaching palms toward the floor.
Kick up so back and legs are flat against the wall.
Point toes straight up, keep back, abs, and legs tense.

🏆ACCOMPLISHED HANDSTAND FUNDAMENTAL?

YOU CAN START WORKING ON:

FREESTANDING HANDSTAND

When you mastered the wall handstand hold, you might think free-standing handstand is already a piece of cake. Well, you’re almost there but not quite there yet.

Once you’ve learned your wall-handstand, it’s time to incorporate balance into your training. It’s time for learning the free-standing handstand.

When you start training your free-standing, you’ll notice that it’s much easier to do compared to when you were just playing around trying to get into a free-standing handstand without any foundations.

The foundations are mastered first to unlock your free-standing handstand make the learning process easier, and more enjoyable.

🔐FREESTANDING HANDSTAND PROGRESSION

AND TRAINING PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Lever (to and from Knee)💪Strength Progression

You still need to solidify your form in order to progress faster and you can do that through these progressions. Exercises focus on gradually increasing the load by getting more vertical until you are able to go into a freestanding handstand.

Take note that the final step requires a combination of what you have developed from the skill, muscle, and endurance elements so don’t get frustrated yet if you’re taking a long time getting there. As long as you’re working honestly on your progressions, it will get much easier.

1. Laying Shrugs

How to Perform:

Lay prone in front of the wall.
Extend your legs out straight, with your feet squeezed together and toes pointed.
With your arms straight beside your ears, place your palms flat against the wall.
Tighten body and hold the position for specified time.
Press into palms against the wall with scapula upward rotation, then back to starting position.
Repeat shrugs.

2. Wall Handstand Holds

How to Perform:

Begin standing with your back to the wall.
Bend down and place your palms on the floor, wall walks into a handstand facing the wall.
Legs together, abdominals tight, palms on floor shoulder width apart.
Hold the position for a specified time.

3. Shrugs Against Wall

How to Perform:

Begin in a handstand, stomach facing the wall. Keep legs straight and together, and arms straight beside ears.
With your arms straight beside your ears relax your trapezius, lowering your head between your arms.
Press into palms activating trapezius.
Repeat shrugs per specified repetitions.

4. Socks Shrugs

How to Perform:

Place a towel, socks or cloth on your shoulders.
Begin in a handstand, stomach facing the wall. Keep legs straight and together, and arms straight beside ears.
With your arms straight beside your ears, shrug your shoulders up to your earlobes.
Lower head, as shoulders move away from ear lobes.
Keep the cloth tucked to you.
Repeat shrugs per specified times.

5. Wall Shoulder Touches

How to Perform:

To begin, get into a handstand with your stomach against the wall.
Legs together with toes pointed, body should be in a straight line from wrists to toes. Arms next to ears.
Lift right hand up, shifting weight to left arm, tap right shoulder then right palm returns to the floor and do the same with left hand.
Keep abdominals tight and legs squeezed together.
Repeat for specified repetitions.

6. Wall Straight Arm Touches

How to Perform:

To begin, get into a handstand with your stomach against the wall.
Legs together with toes pointed, body should be in a straight line from wrists to toes. Arms next to ears.
Shift weight to your left arm as you lift your right arm up and tap your right side.
Lower right arm, placing left palm back on the floor and lift left arm up tapping left side.
Continue alternating and tapping sides with arms straight for specified repetitions.

7. Pike Walkouts to Long Hollow Body Hold for 10

How to Perform:

Begin standing up straight, legs together, bend over reaching straight arms towards feet.
Place palms on the floor out from feet and begin walking your hands out away from your feet.
Keep arms and legs straight, and core tight.
Walk hands out above your head and hold hollow hold position. Arms and legs straight, abdominals tight.
Hold for a specified time.

8. Sock Shrugs and Hold for 10

How to Perform:

Begin in a handstand, stomach facing the wall. Keep legs straight and together, and arms straight beside ears.
With your arms straight beside your ears shrug your shoulders up to your earlobes.
Lower head, as shoulders move away from ear lobes.
Repeat for specified repetitions.
Hold the last position, shoulders shrugged for 10 seconds.

9. Freestanding Handstand Hold

How to Perform:

Begin standing up straight, right leg out front with toe pointed, arms straight next to ears.
Lean forward onto right leg, push off the left foot, kick legs straight up.
With legs together and toes pointed, keep your body in a straight line.
Pull your belly button towards your spine.
Hold position for specified time, then kick feet down one at a time.

🤸‍♂️Skill Element

The skill element now focuses on getting you to the free-standing handstand as well as focusing on the proper form of handstands. One component that’s usually forgotten is the exit which is crucial to get you down safely and build more confidence for you to get into inversion.

Here are the exercises needed to learn the move:

1. Floor Slightly Bigger Cartwheel

How to Perform:

1. 1. Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step one leg forward.
  3. Raise arms overhead.
  4. Slightly lunge forward, putting the weight on your forward leg. Maintain good posture.
  5. Bend at the hips and reach the floor with your hands by placing them forward. The arm in which side your leg is ahead should first contact the floor then immediately place the other hand beside it placing a shoulder-width distance to each other.
  6. As the previous motion happens, swing your back leg upwards and sidewards, then follow with your forward leg. Keep upper body and arms rigid. Shoulders fully elevated.
  7. Place the first leg that swung at the back and your front leg forward again. At the same time, stand up in a semi-lung position similar to the beginning position.
  8. Repeat for specified repetitions.
  9. Change which leg is forward or back.
  10. Repeat for specified repetitions.

2. Floor Tiny Cartwheel

How to Perform:

1. Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step one leg forward.
3. Raise arms overhead.
4. Slightly lunge forward, putting the weight on your forward leg. Maintain good posture.
5. Bend at the hips and reach the floor with your hands by placing them forward. The arm in which side your leg is ahead should first contact with the floor, then immediately place the other hand beside it placing a shoulder-width distance to each other.
6. As the previous motion happens, swing your back leg sidewards, then follow with your forward leg. Keep upper body and arms rigid. Shoulders fully elevated.
7. Place the first leg that swung at the back and your front leg forward again. At the same time, stand up in a semi-lung position similar to the beginning position.
8. Repeat the motion to get back to the original starting point.
9. Repeat for specified repetitions.

3. Lever (to and from Lunge)

How to Perform:

1. Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step one leg forward.
3. Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
4. Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
5. Using your hips as your axis, swing your upper body forward to place your hands on the floor. Maintain the arms straight throughout the movement. At the same time, swing back leg backward and up while keeping it straight.
6. Swing back to the beginning semi-lunge position.
7. Repeat for specified repetitions.
8. Switch sides and repeat for specified repetitions.

4. Lever (to and from Knee)

Lever (to and from Knee)

How to Perform:

Kneel down on one knee while placing one leg forward so that its quad is parallel to the ground.
Raise arms overhead and maintain good posture.
Push with your back leg up and contract the quads of your forward leg to stand up briefly, and swing upper torso forward down to the ground.
Place your hands in front of you while keeping them straight. At the same time, kick back legs backward and up. This simulates a handstand entrance.
Reverse the motion to get back to the original kneeling position.
Repeat for specified repetitions.
Switch legs and repeat for specified repetitions.

5. Teeter Totter

Teeter Totter

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
Swing the upper body forward and place your hands on the floor. At the same time, swing your back leg backward and up and jump with your forward leg.
This motion will lift your body towards a handstand, but your forward leg will not yet be aligned with your body.
With control, shift back to the original semi-lunge position.
Repeat for specified repetitions.
Switch legs and repeat for specified repetitions.

6. Wall Kick-up

Wall Kick up

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a wall 2-3 feet away.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
Swing the upper body forward and place your hands on the floor. At the same time, swing your back leg backward and up and jump with your forward leg.
Enter handstand position using the wall for balance and assistance.
Hold the position for a brief moment.
Reverse the motion to begin in the semi-lung position.
Repeat for specified repetitions.
Switch leg position and repeat for specified repetitions.

7. Box Fall

Box Fall

How to Perform:

Stand 2 to 3 feet away from a box.
Place your hands shoulder-width apart in front of you when you rest your feet on the box.
Fix your position, ensure that your upper torso and hands are straight perpendicular to the ground. Open shoulders and fully depressed. Legs are still straight and together.
With control, lift on leg upwards, then sidewards away from the box and follow with the next leg to exit the handstand position.
Stand back up.
Switch sides and repeat for specified repetitions.

7. Box Kick and Fall

Box Kick and Fall

How to Perform:

Stand 2 to 3 feet away from a box.
Place your hands shoulder-width apart in front of you when you rest your feet on the box.
Fix your position, ensure that your upper torso and hands are straight perpendicular to the ground. Open shoulders and fully depressed. Legs are still straight and together.
With control, lift one leg upwards towards a handstand, then sidewards away from the box and follow with the next leg to exit the handstand position.
Stand back up.
Switch sides and repeat for specified repetitions.

🏋️‍♂️Muscle Element

Having enough shoulder muscles and back stabilizing muscles means having enough strength to hold your full bodyweight on your upper body. While it seems that your arms are holding you up, the shoulders plays the primary role of stabilizing you into the handstand position. Exercises here focus on straight-arm overhead shoulder strength while includingg your back stabilizers such as the rhomboids and trapezius.

1. Box Shoulder Touches

Box Shoulder Touches

How to Perform:

Stand 2 to 3 feet away from a box.
Place your hands shoulder-width apart in front of you when you rest your feet on the box.
Fix your position, ensure that your upper torso and hands are straight perpendicular to the ground. Open shoulders and fully depressed. Legs are still straight and together.
Switch your weight towards one arm so that one arm is not holding you up.
Use the non-working arm to tap its shoulder while maintaining proper handstand posture.
Plant the hand back to its position.
Repeat this motion for the other arm.
Doing both counts as 1 rep. Repeat for specified repetitions.

2. Box Straight Arm Shoulder Touches

Box Straight Arm Shoulder Touches

How to Perform:

Stand 2 to 3 feet away from a box.
Place your hands shoulder-width apart in front of you when resting your feet on the box.
Fix your position, ensure your upper torso and hands are straight perpendicular to the ground. Open shoulders and fully depressed. Legs are still straight and together.
Switch your weight towards one arm so that one arm is not holding you up.
Swing the non-working arm straight to the side of your body, while maintaining proper handstand posture.
Plant the hand back to its position.
Repeat this motion for the other arm.
Doing both count as 1 rep. Repeat for specified repetitions.

🏃‍♂️Endurance Element

Exercises included in this list develops your work capacity to more sustained periods on handstand positions. As you work on your endurance, you will be able to worry less on your work capacity so you can focus on your balance and form.

So here’s the list of exercises:

1. Wall Handstand Holds

Wall Handstand Hold

How to Perform:

Begin standing with back to the wall.
Bend down and place your palms on the floor, wall walks into a handstand facing the wall.
Legs together, abdominals tight, palms on floor shoulder width apart.
Hold the position for specified time.

2. Hollow Hold (Arms up)

Hollow hold arms up

How to Perform:

Begin laying on the floor, straighten arms and extend next to the ears.
Legs extend straight out, with toes pointed. Contracting the abs, and squeezing the legs together, lift arms, scapulas, and legs up a few inches up off the floor.
Chin should be tucked in towards the chest, abdominals fully squeezed.
Hold position for specified time, then return to laying flat.

3. Kick Up Against the Wall and Hold

Kick up Against the Wall and Hold

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a wall 2-3 feet away.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
Swing the upper body forward and place your hands on the floor. At the same time, swing your back leg backward and up and jump with your forward leg.
Enter handstand position using the wall for balance and assistance.
Hold the position for a brief moment.
Reverse the motion to begin in the semi-lung position and repeat for specified repetitions.
Switch leg position and complete specified repetitions.

4. Kick Up Against the Wall and Scissors Alternating

Kick Up Against the Wall and Scissors Alternating

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a wall 2-3 feet away.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
Swing the upper body forward and place your hands on the floor. At the same time, swing your back leg backward and up and jump with your forward leg.
Enter handstand position using the wall for balance and assistance.
Alternate one leg for assistance and one leg simulating a freestanding handstand, seemingly making a scissors motion with the legs. Keep everything tight.
Repeat this scissors motion for specified reps.
Reverse the motion to begin in the semi-lung position.
Switch leg position and repeat for specified repetitions.

5. Kick Up Against the Wall and Scissors and Hold

Kick Up Against the Wall and Scissor and Hold

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a wall 2-3 feet away.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
Swing the upper body forward and place your hands on the floor. At the same time, swing your back leg backward and up and jump with your forward leg.
Enter handstand position using the wall for balance and assistance.
Place one leg on the wall for balance while the other simulating already the full handstand.
Move the assisted leg beside the freestanding leg so you are in a full handstand position.
Hold the freestanding handstand for a brief moment.
Repeat the motions from being assisted to freestanding for specified repetitions. Use the same leg for assistance.
Reverse the motion to begin in the semi-lung position.
Switch leg position and repeat for specified repetitions.

6. Kick Up Against the Wall Alternating Scissors and Hold

Kick Up Against the Wall Alternating Scissors and Hold

How to Perform:

Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a wall 2-3 feet away.
Step one leg forward.
Raise your arms overhead while maintaining a good straight posture.
Bend forward knee slightly and place the weight on the said leg.
Swing the upper body forward and place your hands on the floor. At the same time, swing your back leg backward and up and jump with your forward leg.
Enter handstand position using the wall for balance and assistance.
Place one leg on the wall for balance while the other simulating already the full handstand.
Move the assisted leg beside the freestanding leg so you are in a full handstand position.
Hold the freestanding handstand for a brief moment.
Repeat the motions from being assisted to freestanding for specified repetitions, but alternate the legs being used for assistance and freestanding.
Reverse the motion to begin in the semi-lung position.
Repeat for specified repetitions.

📌Takeaway

Breaking down the elements of the handstand into easier, more digestible exercise helps us understand the movement easier so we can progress faster.

This actually hold true for all calisthenics exercises, even the simplest ones, because calisthenics movements engages the full body and challenges your mind as well.

For a more complex move like the wall and freestanding handstand, we need to cover all elements to get you inverted as safely as possible in the most efficient manner.

To learn more about the general common mistakes you need to avoid plus the tips you need to learn the handstand faster, head over to this article:

Common mistakes to avoid & tips to improve your handstand