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Handstand Workout

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. 

Dashboard |  Handstand Workout

Specific Warm Up

DemoExerciseReps/SetsHow to/Cues
W-Raises8 repsGo slow and focus pulling shoulder blades together
W to Y-Raises8 repsActively keep lifting arms up on Y-Raises
Back Extensions8 repsInitiate lift by externally rotating your arms until thumb is facing the ceiling
Arm Circles8 per directionExtend arms to the side and create small circular movements
Elbow Raises8 repsLift elbows as high as you can
Tuck on Back1x4Push out tall, keep your lower back on the floor at all times! Look at your hands. Keep your knees together and the feet on the same distance to the floor throughout the whole movement!
Straight to Straddle - On Back1x3Cover your ears with your shoulders, look at your hands pushing against the wall. Keep your lower back pushed against the floor. As soon as your legs open externally rotate them! Keep your feet at the same distance to the floor the whole time. Stop opening your legs when the feet begin to move upwards away from the floor!
Wrist Warm-UpFew reps eachChoose 2-3 Exercises, or feel free to add your own. Go through these until your wrists feel ready.
Shoulder Opener at Wall1x30sec
Shoulder Lifts on Floor1x6Look at your hands. Do not arch your back. First reach away from your to elevate your scapula. Only after lift the hands off the floor.
Sitting Knee Extension with Block2x10Keep your ankles together and lock your knees so your feet lift off the floor. Feel your quads engaging on top and squeeze for a moment.
Point your feet at the ankle and curl your toes.
Sit up straight with your hands relaxed on the floor next to you and your shoulders down.
Scissor Kicks on Back30secLock your knees. Fully push the through. Feel your quads on fire.
Point your feet at the ankle and curl your toes.
Keep your legs parallel to each other.
Keep your upper body stable and immobile as you scissor your legs up and down dynamically.

Wall Training

DemoExerciseReps/SetsHow to/Cues
Wall Walks2x2Engage your whole body! Do not allow your back to arch or your shoulder blades to stick out behind your back.
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.
Do not look at the wall. Instead look at the spot in between your hands.
Single Leg Tuck Slide1x3 each side alternatingAlign your hips and shoulders on top of the center of your hands. Create a 45 degree angle at the hips for the feet to touch the wall.
Pull 1 knee down to the tuck at the time whilst keeping your shoulders and hips perfectly squared. Pull the knee down in a vertical line and avoid it sticking out to the side.
Do not push your feet up the wall too far between reps. Your hand-shoulder-hips line needs to stay intact at all times.
Touch the wall with your feet and the working knee and shin only.
Tuck Slides2x2Make 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.
Keep your knees together and make them touch the wall as you pull them down.
Pull your knees as low as possible whilst engaging your lower back. In the tuck position your hips need to be in a slight anterior pelvic tilt. As soon as your lower back rounds and your hips flip into a posterior pelvic tilt your knees are too low.
Lock your elbows, elevate your scapula and look at the spot in between your hands.
Box Tuck Single Leg Isolation1x2 each side alternatingBring your foot on top to align it with your hips, shoulders and center of your hands.
Time your hips and knee. If you were watching this drill from the side the foot should travel up and back down on one vertical line.
Keep your immobile leg fully bent and the heel close to your glutes. Place your shoulders on top of the center of your hands and push out tall.
Make sure the box for your tuck is high enough. Your hips have to be in a slight anterior pelvic tilt and never in a posterior one. Only place the knees on the box.
Half Slide Away1x3Start with your body in a perfectly straight line. Your feet should be the only thing touching the wall. Lean your shoulders towards the front and slide your feet down the wall. When you are about to wall over push back up.
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.
Do not place your hands too far away from the wall. The main focus of this drill is not conditioning but technical refinement.
Keep your elbows locked and elevate your scapula fully at all times.
Slide Away2x2Start with your body in a perfectly straight line. Your feet should be the only thing touching the wall. Lean your shoulders towards the front and slide your feet down the wall. , Start with your body in a perfectly straight line. Your feet should be the only thing touching the wall. Lean your shoulders towards the front and slide your feet down the wall until your feet naturally lift off the wall. In this moment travel the feet away from the wall and the shoulders back to align everything on top of the center of your hands.
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.
Move slow and stay in control at all times. Do not use momentum to get off the wall. Do not jump off the wall and do not take 1 foot at the time off the wall.
Come back to the wall with your entire body from wrists to toes in 1 straight line.
L Handstand Single Leg Isolation Shrugs2x2 each side alternatingBring the leg on up slowly to align it with your hips and shoulders on top of the center of your hands.
With the leg on top pressure on your shoulders is less horizontal and more vertical. Use this to push out extra tall. Work on holding this newly gained height on the way back down to the starting position.
Engage your back and pull your hips into a slight anterior pelvic tilt when you are brining the leg back to the wall to keep your weight in the fingertips. Do not allow your lower back to round when returning to the L.
In case of a temporary lack of hamstring flexibility bend your knee slightly to ease the tension.
45 Handstand Single Leg Tuck Slides2x2 each side none alternatingAlign your hips, shoulders and top foot on top of the center of your hands. Create a 45 degree angle at the hips for the other foot to touch the wall.
Isolate the movement into the working leg only. Place the knee on the wall and pull it as low as possible without un-squaring the hips or flipping them into a posterior pelvic tilt.
Focus on the immobile leg. Keeping it perfectly stable is much harder than moving the other knee down to the tuck and back up.
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.
Box Tuck Hover2x1 each side Align the foot on top of your hips, shoulders and center of the hands. Before you attempt to hover the second knee you should already be in full control of your handstand.
If you feel like you have to arch your back to use the top leg as counter weight your alignment is off. Push out tall from your shoulders and move them on top of the center of your hands instead of trying to force this to work by opening into a banana position.
Make sure the box for your tuck is high enough. Your hips have to be in a slight anterior pelvic tilt and never in a posterior one. Only place the knees on the box.
Keep your hover knee fully bent and keep the foot close to your glutes. This will help bring the weight on top of the center of your hands.
Straddle Half Slide Away1x3Start with your body in a perfectly straight line. Your feet should be the only thing touching the wall. Lean your shoulders towards the front and slide your feet down the wall. When you are about to wall over push back up.
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.
Do not place your hands too far away from the wall. The main focus of this drill is not conditioning but technical refinement.
Straddle Slide Away2x2Start with your body in a perfectly straight line. Your feet should be the only thing touching the wall. Lean your shoulders towards the front and slide your feet down the wall. , Start with your body in a perfectly straight line. Your feet should be the only thing touching the wall. Lean your shoulders towards the front and slide your feet down the wall until your feet naturally lift off the wall. In this moment travel the feet away from the wall and the shoulders back to align everything on top of the center of your hands.
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.
Lateral Leg Isolations from Straight at Wall2x2 each side alternating

Freestanding Prep

DemoExerciseReps/SetsHow to/Cues
L Wall Jumps4x each sideDo not touch the wall with either foot until you are in the L Handstand position.
Stab the foot up straight towards the ceiling to align your top leg with the already aligned hands and shoulders. Do not arch the leg over towards the back.
Keep your scapula elevated, elbows locked and and the weight in the fingertips at all times. Look at the space in between your hands and engage your legs!
In case of a temporary lack of hamstring flexibility bend your wall knee slightly to ease the tension.
Wall Tuck Jump2XStart with your shoulders on top of the hands and already significant amounts of weight in your hands before you even begin to jump.
The closer you are to the wall the better but make sure you leave yourself enough room to clear the wall with your feet and knees.
Keep your shoulders on top of the hands at all times.
Look at the spot between your hands at all times!
Wall Tuck Jump to Handstand4X totalThe closer you are to the wall the better but make sure you leave yourself enough room to clear the wall with your feet and knees.
Keep your shoulders on top of the hands at all times.
Jump past the tuck and extend the legs into a straight handstand before touching the wall.
Start with your shoulders on top of the hands and already significant amounts of weight in your hands before you even begin to jump.

Conditioning

DemoExerciseReps/SetsHow to/Cues
Half Knee Assisted HSPU in L3x5Start by lowering with only your feet on the box. With your elbows about 90 degrees bent place your knees on the box to ease pressure in the shoulders and push back up.
Start with your hands shoulder wide apart vertically aligned with your shoulders and hips. Look at your hands and elevate your scapula.
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!
Place your feet on a box, table or kitchen counter for the legs to be about parallel to the floor when you are at the very bottom of the movement. Do not place your feet against the wall! Bend your knees slightly in case of a temporary lack of hamstring mobility
Valentines Day Walk Up Special2x4 each sideEngage your core and create 1 straight line from your feet all the way through your neck.
Separate the movements to stay clean and efficient.
Do not allow your body to swing from side to side.
Engage your shoulders and protract them slightly. Your shoulder blades should not stick out from your back.
Box Tuck Walk in L1x4Engage your whole body! Do not allow your back to arch or your shoulder blades to stick out behind your back.
Take small and controlled steps with your hands facing towards the front.
Do not look at the box. Instead focus on a spot on the floor in between your hands.
Place your feet on a box, table or kitchen counter for the legs to be about parallel to the floor. Do not place your feet against the wall!
Kneeling Shoulder Shrugs with Elastic Chest to Wall1x12Connect your quads, hips, chest and wrists with the wall.
Lock your elbows and look at your hands.
Reach towards the ceiling pushing as tall as you can and cover your ears with your shoulders. Make sure the elastic comes out of the back of your hands like an extension of your fingers and not from the thumb or pinky side.
Go slow on the way down and keep your elbows locked. Both directions matter!
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Extend your arms in front of you and open/close your hands. Work on extending your fingers fully.

Start with your hand open facing towards the ceiling in extension. Now bring the tip of all 5 fingers together and and flex your wrist.

Put hands together in front you in a prayer position. Move hands downwards and elbows out to introduce a stretch. Go through these until wrists feel warm and ready

With all wrist warm ups there is no specific number I want you to do, just do them until your wrists are fully warmed up. Generally better take more time to warm up instead of less. Pick the exercises that feel the best for your wrists, and if you already have a wrist warm-up routine, just go with that one.

Exercise 1 - Place palm of hand on the floor in various positions and angles (e.g. fingers facing your knees, fingers pointing to the outside, etc) while you load weight on to your arms gently

Exercise 2 - Place one hand on top of the other and only move your arm around (from straight to bend, imagine you are drawing circles with your elbow)

Exercise 3 - Place back of hands on ground and gently load weight on to your arms. Move around from side to side, front and back to stretch them out a bit.