How to Do a Handstand – Everything You Need to Know

Do you know how to do a handstand? It’s not an easy move to unlock, but when you do, it’ll allow you to understand the massive upper body strength your body is capable of.

Now, to do a handstand, your existing upper body strength, form, and balance. With these three factors working together, you will be able to do a handstand.

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How to do a handstand?

How to do a handstand. (Image via Unsplash/ Eduardo Madrid)

Keeping in mind the three factors above: upper body strength, balance, and form, the following are the steps that you need to follow to perform a handstand.

First, you need to develop sufficient upper body strength, especially for your shoulders. Developing shoulders will enable you to hold your body weight upside down and hold the position for a while. Therefore, upper body strength is of utmost importance before you learn the steps for how to do a handstand.

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Step one is to focus on shoulder strength.

One of the best shoulder exercises to develop this strength is pike holds. It completely focuses on adding tension and stress to the shoulders, forcing the muscles to become stronger.

Step two is to move the pike hold to a position where your feet are elevated.

Ideally, you should put your feet on an elevated surface and then hold the position. At this point, your hips, shoulders, and arms are all in a straight line.

This will make the exercise more difficult, but you’ll also become stronger. When you’re comfortable holding this position, it’s time for step 3.

Step 3 is to hold yourself against a wall.

Improve your shoulder strength (Photo by Jakub Balon on Unsplash)

This is probably the true starting point for how to do a handstand for beginners.

So, once you’ve developed significant strength and endurance, go into a push-up position with your feet toward the wall.

Next, climb the wall with your feet.

As your feet move upwards against the wall, bring your torso closer to the wall but use your hands for support. This is when pre-built strength and endurance will help you.

Hold the position where your body and hands are as close to the wall as possible. Engage your core for better stability.

You will have completed all the steps for how to do a handstand for beginners once you’re able to do at least 3 or 4 consecutive wall walks, hold the form for at least 20-30 seconds while putting all the body weight on your hands through your shoulders.

Once you’ve mastered the wall-assisted handstand, it’s time for handstand progression.

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Improving the handstand

Handstand kick-up (Photo by Mariah Krafft on Unsplash)

Handstand progression moves to the next level of difficulty, but one step closer to being able to do the perfect handstand.

The next progression is a handstand kickup.

To do a handstand kick-up:

• Go into a push-up position with your head towards the wall.
• Push the ground with one leg so the other leg goes straight upwards and touches the wall.
• Bring both legs to the leg.
• Keep your head slightly forward than your hands to maintain balance.
• Keep your fingertips spread wide apart with a firm hold.
• Engage your core to keep your body as controlled as possible.
• Keep your arms straight to enable them to hold the entire body weight for a longer period of time.

Once you’ve learned how to do a handstand with a kick-up, the final handstand progression is to form your balance.

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How to practice handstand balance?

Handstand progression (Photo by Alex Person on Unsplash)

Once you’ve been able to successfully do a handstand against a wall, you need to start practicing for balance.

To practice for balance, you need to press the floor with your fingertips and palm, and navigate the body so it keeps a straight line.

If your legs move backward, you need to press them forward and vice versa.

The more you practice balance, the better you’ll be at your handstand progression without having to use the wall for assistance. Additionally, remember to keep your core engaged for proper balance and stability.

Finally, when you use all the steps for "how to do a handstand" together, you will be able to hold a handstand without any assistance.