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Handstand Workout - A
Here is your full workout for today. This overview includes name, reps, and most important cues. IMPORTANT!! To see the video click the (“+”) symbol next to the exercise name, and it will expand.
Look after yourself and only do what feels safe enough.
Make sure to warm up well.Â
Dashboard | Â Workout
Specific Warm Up
| Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Standing Straight to Y with Elastic 1x8 | Keep your shoulders down and look towards the front.Hold the elastic with your entire hand. We want the back of the hand to face the same direction as your back when the hands are on top. The elastic is basically an extension of the fingers.Stand far enough from your attachment point so you can apply constant backwards pressure on the elastic. | |
 | Outward External Rotation with Elastic 1x8 each side | Externally rotate your arm against the pressure of the elastic whilst keeping your elbow connected to your side.Keep your shoulders down and look towards the front.focus on form and keep the band under constant pressure., "Go slow and controlled. We are training very small stabilizing muscles here. If the applied pressure becomes too high the bigger shoulder muscles will take over. For them the elastic will not apply enough force and the exercise becomes useless. Use a weak elastic, focus on form and keep the band under constant pressure." | |
 | Internal Downward Rotation with Elastic 1x8 each side | Hold your working elbow at a 90 degree angle perfectly in line with both of your shoulders.Imagine you had a solid stick going through your shoulders and the working arm all the way to your elbow. Rotate the arm on this axis.Make sure to use an elastic that only places minimal pressure on your shoulder. If the elastic is too strong different muscles will take over and the exercise will lose its effect. | |
 | Mobility Back Row 1x8 each side | Bend your knees slightly, place equal weight in both feet and keep your shoulders down.Engage your core to stabilize your position as you push your hands out in front of your chest.Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor. | |
 | Boat to Superman Side Roll 4x each direction | Lock your knees, point your feet and squeeze them together.Keep your head in a neutral position but pull it back slightly as you roll onto your stomach.Engage your entire body from hands to toes. | |
 | Italian Wrist Curl 8x each side | Using your internal muscles stretch your hands open. Bring your wrist into full extension and spread your fingers wide.Engage your forearm and hand muscles to make the tips of your fingers touch and curl your wrist into flexion.Keep your forearm around horizontal. | |
 | Prayer Pose Rotation as needed | Keeping your hands in a vertical position push them down in front of your body towards your belly button.Keeping your hands low rotate them for the fingertips to point towards you and then away from you. Keep pressure on your wrists the entire time and rotate your hands sligthly further in each repetition.Keep your shoulders depressed and squared with your hips. |
Handstand Technique Refinement
| Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Wall Walk 1x3 | Take small and controlled steps with your hands facing towards the front.Only your feet should touch the wall. Do not place your knees, hips or chest on the wall.Look at the spot in between your hands. Do not look at the wall placing your chin on your chest. | |
 | 45 Handstand Lateral Leg Isolation 1x2 each side none alternating | Focus on the rotation of your leg inside of your hip. In the straddle position the leg needs to be externally rotated. When the leg is on top it needs to be in parallel.Focus on the immobile leg. Keeping it perfectly still is much harder than moving the other one to straddle and back.Due to the nature of this exercise you will be slightly piked in your single leg straddle position. This is ok as you gain lots of shoulder strength and coordination but moving the wall leg not just against gravity but also against the friction of the wall. Find a flat and even wall and wear slippery socks! | |
 | Single Leg Tuck Take Off to Straddle & Back 1x1 each side | Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.Make sure your shoulders stay right on top of the center of your hands. Do not push them open in the direction of your armpits or allow them to close and slide in the direction of your back.Remind yourself how to do a Single Leg Tuck Take Off first. Stay clean from start to finish. | |
 | Straddle Slide Away 1x3 | Don't just lock your legs inside of your hips but actively push them open. Do not accidentally close your legs whilst leaning towards the front., Lock your legs inside of your hips. Do not accidentally close your legs whilst leaning towards the front.Do not pull your hips or arch your back. Stay in a perfectly straight line from shoulders to toes. The only position change should be in the shoulders and wrists.Keep your elbows locked and elevate your scapula fully at all times. | |
 | Straddle Slide Away to Lateral Leg Isolation 1x2 each side | Focus on the rotation of your leg inside of your hip. In the straddle position the leg needs to be externally rotated. When the leg is on top it needs to be in parallel.Keep both elbows locked and shoulders elevated. Due to the nature of the movement you will have more weight on one side of your body. It is up to you to create the visual illusion of the weight staying perfectly even between your hands.You are very close to the wall which forces you to engage properly and follow correct form. If not your foot will touch the wall! | |
 | Single Leg Circles from Straight 2x1 each side & each direction | Focus on the rotation of your leg inside of your hip. In the straddle position the leg needs to be externally rotated. When the leg is on top and in the tuck position it needs to be in parallel.Keep both elbows locked and shoulders elevated. Due to the nature of the movement you will have more weight on one side of your body. It is up to you to create the visual illusion of the weight staying perfectly even between your hands.Engage your legs! They make up a significant part of your handstand. Lock your knees, point your feet and squeeze the water out of them. | |
 | Tuck Double Leg Isolation 2x | Extending both knees at the same time is heavy. You will feel a lot of pressure on your back and lots of hamstring mobility is required. Consider only extending your legs 50% of the way or bringing the knees up slightly first.Move slow and try to hold the position with the extended legs for a moment.Engage your lower back to pull on your hips. Do not allow your lower back to round or your shoulders to collapse towards the front. |
Side Warm Up
| Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Triangle Pose - Reps 8x each side | Only bend as deep as you can control the movement. Quality over depth!Keep both of your shoulders in line with your hips. Gently drive your bottom shoulder towards the front and the top one towards the back.Look towards the front and reach with your top arm far over to the side. | |
 | Half Middle Split - Side Bend 6x each side | Push your opposite hip down towards the heel of the standing foot.Reach your hand far over the top to create a side stretch whilst keeping your shoulders low.Imagine you were in a toaster. Do not allow your hips to rotate. Keep them right underneath your shoulders and in line with your foot and knee. | |
 | Active Triangle Pose 10sec each side | Only bend as deep as you can control the movement. Quality over depth!Keep both of your shoulders in line with your hips. Gently drive your bottom shoulder towards the front and the top one towards the back.Look towards the front and reach with your top arm far over to the side. |
Side Bend Training
| Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Straddle Slide Away Deep Side Bend 2x2 each side | Start small and work deeper over time. Always put quality first! It is normal that one side will be easier than the other.Keep your shoulders stable and isolate the side bend between your last rib and the hip bones! Do not allow the shoulder that you are side bending on to collapse towards the front. Look at the spot in between your hands. Do not shift your gaze!Push your legs open and externally rotate them inside the hips to lock them. Do not allow one of them to close or slide out! | |
 | Deep Side Bend 2x2 each side | Keep your shoulders stable and isolate the side bend between your last rib and the hip bones! Do not allow the shoulder that you are side bending on to collapse towards the front. Look at the spot in between your hands. Do not shift your gaze!Push your legs open and externally rotate them inside the hips to lock them. Do not allow one of them to close or slide out!Start small and work deeper over time. Always put quality first! It is normal that one side will be easier than the other. | |
 | Deep Side Bend - Diamond 2x2 each side | Keep your shoulders stable and isolate the side bend between your last rib and the hip bones! Do not allow the shoulder that you are side bending on to collapse towards the front. Look at the spot in between your hands. Do not shift your gaze!Imagine you are in a toaster. You do not want to burn your knees or shoulders. Do not rotate!Start small and work deeper over time. Always put quality first! It is normal that one side will be easier than the other. |
OAHS Training
| Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Miami Outside Hold - Full Straddle 1x each side | Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder.Push out tall from your supporting shoulder. Do not allow it to collapse towards the front.Push your legs open actively to lock them in the full straddle. | |
 | Miami Outside Hold - Legs Together 1x each side | Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder.Push out tall from your supporting shoulder. Do not allow it to collapse towards the front.Whilst generally harder and a bit more fragile the advantage of drills with legs together is that you basically only have 1 leg. So squeeze them together hard and take advantage! | |
 | Miami Transfer - Full Straddle 2x2 each way | Freeze at every movement change. This will allow you to check on your positions and forces you to stay up longer and ultimately to get stronger.Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder.Push out tall from your supporting shoulder. Do not allow it to collapse towards the front. | |
 | Miami Transfer - Legs Together 2x2 each way | Freeze at every movement change. This will allow you to check on your positions and forces you to stay up longer and ultimately to get stronger.Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder.Push out tall from your supporting shoulder. Do not allow it to collapse towards the front. | |
 | Extreme Miami Floor Combi - Full Straddle 2x each side | Freeze at every movement change. This will allow you to check on your positions and forces you to stay up longer and ultimately to get stronger.When your hands moves the body should be completely immobile.Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder. | |
 | Miami Floor Combi Part 1 - Legs Together 2x each side | When your hands moves the body should be completely immobile.Your hand has to move upwards, away from the floor to get on top of the block but your shoulder has to stay low. Rotate the arm inside your shoulder joint.Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder. | |
 | Miami Floor Combi Part 2 - Legs Together 2x each side | Freeze at every movement change. This will allow you to check on your positions and forces you to stay up longer and ultimately to get stronger.When your hands moves the body should be completely immobile.Look at the hand that you are standing on and connect the side of your face with the supporting shoulder. |
Conditioning
| Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Pike Push Up 3xmax -2 | Your upper body should travel down and back up on 1 diagonal line. Do not arch your back and do not push your shoulders towards your feet on top. Do not aim your nose towards the floor but your forehead.Look at your hands and elevate your scapula in the starting position. Allow your scapula to depress naturally as you bend your arms.Allow your elbows to flare out naturally but aim to keep them approximately at a 45 degree angle. Keep your forearms vertical at all times and do not allow your elbows to point towards the back. | |
 | Pike Push Up Negative - Elevated Feet 8x total | Go as slow as possible and try to stay in control the entire time! If you feel like you are about to lose control: Stop and simply try to freeze in place!Look at your hands and elevate your scapula in the starting position. Allow your scapula to depress naturally as you bend your arms.Allow your elbows to flare out naturally but aim to keep them approximately at a 45 degree angle. Keep your forearms vertical at all times and do not allow your elbows to point towards the back. |