A step-by-step guide to performing a handstand push up

  • By: gymtrix
  • Date: January 7, 2023
  • Time to read: 5 min.

If you have been wanting to learn how to do handstand push-ups, GymTrix coaches have some excellent tips for you. To start off, make sure you know how to kick up into a handstand against the wall.

Then work on building up the skill of lowering your head down to the ground between your hands. It’s important to practice this safely and slowly at first in order to not overdo it. As you get the hang of it, try increasing your speed and see how far you can take this exercise.

With these tips from GymTrix coaches, learning handstand push-ups is an achievable goal that will help enhance your strength training routine.

Building Handstand Push-Up (HSPU) prowess is an exciting goal, but before attempting it, one should become comfortable with inverting and maintain a stable position against the wall. This can take some practice; however, achieving a good stance is essential for success.

To obtain the best stability for a handstand push-up position, focus on squeezing your butt and stomach muscles tightly to maintain a stable midline. This will help you engage more of your core and prepare you for the effort that goes into mastering this exercise.

After all of this groundwork has been laid, you’ll be ready to progress onto more advanced training and who knows where that could take you!

What is a handstand push up?

The handstand push-up is a challenging exercise that can be beneficial for improving upper body strength and muscular endurance.

When done correctly, the exercise is performed free-standing and adds an extra challenge to core muscles as the body needs to remain in alignment during the entire movement.

It can also help practice balance skills as well as active flexibility while practicing getting into the handstand posture. Incorporating the handstand push-up into one’s workout routine is sure to add an extra challenge while helping build strong and defined arms, back, and shoulders.

Benefits of the Handstand Push-Up

Handstand push-ups are a great exercise to include in your workout routine. By building strength, coordination and balance, they provide a comprehensive range of benefits that you can only get from this exercise. Not many exercises offer such an extensive variety of outcomes.

Glute Strength

Handstand push-ups are a great way to train your glutes and core muscles alike. The glutes are an essential part of the core, you will need to engage them effectively if you want to keep your body stable during handstand push-ups.

From strict handstand push-ups that require isometric engagement throughout the move to kipping ones where squeezing and releasing the glutes helps propel the body up, it’s clear that a strong set of glutes is a must for any successful handstand push-up.

If you’re looking for an effective way to give your glutes and core strength a good workout, then the handstand push-up just might be the move for you.

Balance, Stability, and Body Awareness

Handstand push-ups are an effective exercise that can really help people gain a better awareness of their body and its movements. Most people don’t realize just how little control they have over their body until they start to put it through more challenging movements like the handstand push-up.

This type of exercise forces users to gain greater awareness and control of their body, something that is important for overall physical performance.

To assess if you need to improve your body awareness (also known as proprioception), try a simple test stand on one foot with your eyes closed and bend down to touch your toes three times consecutively.

Gymnastics Skills

The ability to use your body in a way that requires strength, power, and agility is key for being a successful CrossFit or calisthenics athlete.

Gymnastic skills such as handstand push-ups provide just the right combination of attributes necessary for excelling in those pursuits and should be incorporated into any training program.

The modified version still provides all the benefits required to hone fine motor skills while maximizing strength building benefits.

A handstand push up is a great way to work your shoulders, chest, and triceps all at once.

Fun

When it comes to fitness, having fun is essential for maintaining consistency. Developing unique and challenging goals may seem intimidating at first, but when milestones are hit, like the first handstand push-up or five in a row, it can result in an immense feeling of accomplishment.

This reward-based system motivates you to continue and progress further so that you can enjoy the thrill of conquering tough fitness challenges.

Handstand push-ups are a great example of this they require dedication, hard work, and patience, but give such gratifying results.

How to perform a handstand push up

It’s also a move that can be scaled to your fitness level so if you’re just starting out, don’t be discouraged.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do a handstand push-up:

1.Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the ground in front of you, then place your palms flat on the ground.

2.Kick your legs up behind you to get into a handstand position. Check that your entire body is straight from head to toe.

3.Now, while holding your legs and hips in the air, slowly descend your head and body toward the floor.

4.Press back up to the handstand posture after your head is as near to the ground as possible.

5.As required, alternate between dropping down and pressing back up, maintaining your body straight each time.

6.Repeat this numerous times, then carefully drop your legs to the ground one at a time until you are sitting.

7.Relax for a few seconds before repeating the exercise or going on to the next one.

8.Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to ensure you’re performing it correctly and securely.

Safety and Precautions

Handstand push-ups are a complex exercise that require technical precision and require extra precaution to ensure safety.

Mistakes can potentially result in serious injury, so it is important to build confidence and master the proper mechanics through progressions.

It is essential to take the necessary precautions in order to stay safe when performing this potentially dangerous exercise.

Prepare Your Shoulders

Starting your workout routine with some light arm movements is a great way to get the blood flowing and loosen up your joints. This can help ensure you’re able to experience a full range of motion and are less likely to suffer any injuries or setbacks in the long run.

Take it slow

Handstand push-ups are an exercise that require time and patience to perfect. It is essential for both body and brain integration, helping to develop proprioception capacity as well as strength through stabilizing muscles.

Taking the time to move slowly and precisely with these movements will bring better motor control, improved coordination, increased balance, and heightened mental focus in the long run.

Modify

Modifying movements is an excellent way to improve your physical fitness without sacrificing form and technique.

Adjusting exercises not only ensures that you are performing the exercise properly, but it also shows a willingness to succeed.

This can be especially helpful when attempting more advanced movements such as handstand push-ups. Modifying these exercises can help to make them safer while still allowing you to achieve your goals and work towards gaining strength.

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