How to Do a Handstand

For a technical level-up that demands focus, commitment, and bravery, look no further. From the humble handstand to the push up variation, here’s everything you need to know about how to do a handstand.

A staple of calisthenics and gymnastics routines, the handstand is the ultimate fitness yardstick, measuring your balance, strength, and ability to trust in your body.

Rory Wilson, movement specialist at Coached by Rory, calls the handstand the “ultimate flex in the fitness community, where gravity becomes your greatest nemesis and your body your greatest ally”.

For Wilson, it’s the “sheer audacity of challenging the laws of physics” that makes the handstand so impressive.

For Ella Rothwell, CrossFit Coach and community manager at R.A.D, “there’s an element of grace to a good handstand that becomes almost poetic.”

As children, we might be able to knock out a handstand with ease, but recapturing that as adults is “the ultimate personal challenge, a rare exercise that can’t be done by just brute strength alone,” adds Rothwell.

But it is possible. With consistent work and a lot of balance, there’s no reason why you can’t add the handstand and its variants into your fitness arsenal. Here’s how.

Why is it so hard to do a handstand?

First of all, the handstand is a compound exercise, in which almost every muscle in your body has to work in unison. Secondly, there’s the whole upside down element…

“There's a symphony of muscles involved in this precarious balancing act,” says Wilson. “Your deltoids, triceps, and serratus anterior, anterior groin, the trapezius muscle, the broad back, and the quadriceps muscle are all used to hoist you up, while, your core is vital for keeping your trunk and legs upright.”

As Rothwell points out, even your fingers play a role, with the Science of Gymnastics Journal going so far as to study the efficacy of different hand placements in handstand technique.

Get your hands right and you’ll still need to master coordination and timing, both in getting your body upright, and maintaining the hold. As Rothwell points out, “it isn’t something that you can cut corners with.”

The good news is that, with practice, anyone can do it. “The handstand is a great equalizer,” says Rothwell. “Whether you’re early into your fitness or calisthenics journey, or a hardened gym veteran, everyone can try learning the handstand and enjoy the benefits that come with this great compound exercise.”

As well as increased strength and core stability, a study examining a then 66-year-old Chinese man who had been practicing handstands for 40 years found that, compared to his peers, the man’s brain health was good, age-related wear and tear on his neck had improved, and he even looked younger than other men his age.

What exercises will help build you up to completing a handstand?

Because the handstand is such an engaging undertaking, it can be difficult to know where to begin. For Rothwell, the most vital areas to focus on are the shoulders and the core. She recommends adding the below into your training plan to build up strength pre-handstand.

Slow swimmers

Lie face down on a mat with your arms extended overhead. Lift your chest slightly off the ground and simultaneously move your arms in a slow, controlled swimming motion, bringing them down to your sides and back overhead. Aim for 30-60 seconds, focusing on smooth, deliberate movements and maintaining proper form throughout.

Do this for four to eight reps with minimal rest in between.

Cobra lifts

Lie face down on a mat with your hands under your shoulders. Keeping your legs on the ground, lift your chest off the mat by engaging your lower back muscles. Hold for a few seconds at the top, then slowly lower back down.

Eight to twelve reps.

Plank

Lie face down, then lift your body onto your forearms and toes, forming a straight line from head to heels. Keep your elbows directly under your shoulders and your core engaged.

Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Lunge to split-leg kick-up

Stand straight then step one foot back into a lunge, ensuring both knees bend at 90 degrees. Next, place your hands shoulder width apart on the floor in front of you before propelling off your back foot, transitioning into a forward kick with the same leg, aiming to get your foot as high as comfortable and in a controlled manner.

Return to the start and repeat, aiming for ten to 15 reps per leg.

Pike Push-Up

Start in a downward dog position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your hips lifted towards the ceiling, forming an inverted "V". Lower your upper body towards the ground by bending your elbows, aiming to bring the top of your head towards the floor while keeping your legs straight. Push back up to the starting position.

Perform eight to 12 reps.

How To Do A Handstand

Now you’ve mastered the above, it’s time to take things to the next level, starting with the bent-knee handstand.

Face away from the wall, hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Brace your shoulders and core, then kick your legs up into a handstand. Instead of extending your legs, you’re going to rest them against the wall with bent knees. Hold for 30 seconds, focusing on maintaining a straight line from your wrists to your hips. Gradually increase hold time as you build strength and stability.

Once you have this down, work at extending your legs so you form a straight line against the wall. “Hand placement is key for stability and avoiding over-rotation,” says Rothwell. “You should end up with palms directly underneath your shoulders, your forearms straight with your arms locked out.”

As for your fingers, Rothwell recommends slightly splayed fingers in a tented position to allow for micro-adjustments without upsetting your balance.

Too easy? Master the handstand push up instead

As demonstrated by Nic Cage in Con Air, the handstand push is a legendarily difficult maneuver. Rothwell recommends drilling down into your pike push-ups and back to wall handstands first.

“Try getting your feet higher in the pike push up,” she advises. “You might use a chair to make them more difficult while replicating the handstand push up movement.”

Once you feel confident in your elevated pike push ups you can transition to incorporating the movement into your back to wall handstand holds.

To put it all together, start facing away from a wall, hands shoulder-width apart. Kick up into a handstand with your back facing the wall, feet resting against it. Lower yourself into a handstand push-up by bending your elbows, aiming to bring your head towards the floor. If you’re having trouble going all the way down, it might help to stack blocks or books beneath your head, gradually removing them as you build up your ability to go lower.

Once you do reach the bottom, push back up to the handstand position. Maintain core engagement and a straight body alignment throughout. Don’t be a hero – three to five reps is enough to begin with.

Words: Tom Ward