How To Do A Handstand Push-up: Tips and Techniques

Are regular push-ups too easy? Is your workout routine suffering from burnout? If your answer to any of these questions is 'yes', you need to change things up in the gym.

While it may seem like an ego boost for you if working out has become too easy, remember that there's always an exercise you can't do, and that's exactly what you should be working towards: ability to master as many exercises as you can.

One of the most challenging and taxing exercises you can do is the handstand push-up. This exercise combines gymnastics and calisthenics, requiring impeccable shoulder strength and stability.

And no, it's not just for the commandos in the military. You, an ordinary gym-goer, can try this exercise too. It's not all vanity either, as this exercise has a ton of untold benefits that often get overshadowed by its difficulty.

Most people think this exercise is done just for the sake of doing it, but they couldn't be further from the truth. If you're trying to learn how to do this exercise or looking to change things up in the gym, here is all the information you need for your handstand push-up journey:

How To Do Perfect Handstand Push-up?

Tips

Handstand push-ups can be notoriously challenging to master, and to do a perfect handstand push-up, you'll need a solid foundation of body strength.

Shoulders are key: shoulders are the primary body part that acts as the connection between your upper body and your core, in a handstand push-up. Ensure that your deltoids are well-built and capable of holding your body weight. Your success of doing a handstand push-up will depend on how strong your shoulders are, so aim to build mass in your delts. Shoulder press, lateral raises, upright rows and Arnold press are some great exercises for building strength and size in your shoulders.
Slow and steady: The biggest mistake you can make when attempting to do a handstand push-up is rushing things. The key to good handstand push-up is consistent practice and perfection of technique and form. As the handstand push-up is an amalgamation of two exercises — the handstand and the push-up - make sure that you've got both exercises nailed down to a tee.

Technique

The proper step-by-step technique for a handstand push-up is as follows:

Face a wall, and while bending down, place your hands at least half a foot away from the wall. Spread your palms out, and kick up, launching your feet over you.
Tighten your abs and glutes; breathe in, and make sure that your entire body is straight. If your balance is off, you won't be able to perform this exercise.
Bend your elbows, and push down slowly. Remember to stay in control of the movement.
Once you've reached the surface, slowly lift yourself, and go back up. To complete a rep, make sure your arms are fully stretched out. Repeat as many times as you can.

Correct Form

For a perfect handstand push-up, you must stay stable, and lock your muscles. Try not to give in to irrational movements. Your reps should be slow and clean. When upside down, it's easy to lose control over your body. To perfect that, you'll have to gain control of yourself to prevent any injury.

Benefits

Handstand push-ups are an advanced exercise, which means you'll need a tremendous amount of strength to begin with. However, if done correctly, this exercise can offer a multitude of benefits.

The main benefit, of course, is upper body strength. It takes immense effort just to get into the handstand position. To be able to push yourself up and against the force of gravity is a testament to your strength.

Handstand push-ups increase the overall upper body strength, especially in your chest, arms, back and shoulders. It also uses your core to stabilise your body and protect your spine, boosting core strength. A strong core will keep you safe from injuries and help stabilise your push-ups.

Apart from strength benefits, handstand push-ups can also offer a multitude of advantages from a stability aspect. Handstand push-ups require you to be in full control of your body, and there's no room for error.

On perfecting this motion, you'll find that you are in complete control of every muscle, which can be quite a liberating feeling. That will help boost your balance, stability and coordination between your arms and lower body, as they must all work in unison to ensure a safe and sturdy handstand-pushup.

Common Mistakes

There are several common mistakes that newbies make when doing handstand push-ups:

Poor balance: For starters, if you keep failing your reps, your balance might be off. Remember to maintain a straight line from head to toe, as any movement could throw you off your balance, resulting in either injury or rep failure. Keep your core tight and your muscles flexed.
Arm position: Sometimes your arms might be too wide or too narrow. To ensure that your arms are in the right position, keep them right under your shoulders. The more displacement between your arms, the tougher the exercise becomes.
Lack of accessory exercises: The reason most people fail their first handstand push-up is because they're simply not strong enough. Don't let that deter you from your goal, though, as it's only a matter of time before you can do one. Practice handstands; practice push-ups, and go step-by-step. Build muscles in your shoulders, chest, core and glutes, as these four muscles will help immensely in your first handstand push-up.

Takeaway

Handstand push-ups are tedious and require a lot of effort. If you're doing them just to look cool, fair enough, but remember the other merits they offer too. Don't treat it like a special exercise that is only for the gods.

Approach it like you would for any other exercise. Don't panic; train hard; stay consistent, and you'll master handstand push-ups in no time.