Are you “kind of” handstand walking but struggling to get the mechanics right? See if these drills help you click with the movement.
What we’re trying to promote with these is a strong push into the floor to open up the shoulder angle, get strong at taking one step on your hands at a time on your hands, and maintain enough of a strong line through the torso to propel your body forward.
Wall Walk
What You’ll Need
A wall.
Technique
Starting with your feet on the wall and your chest on the floor, push up into a high plank then shift your hips back to a pike. Step both feet up on the wall, then start walking your hands in toward the wall until your chest lightly taps the wall in a wall-facing handstand.
Make sure you pull your bottom ribs toward your belt line and stay in a long tight line so you’re not wobbling side to side much as you walk toward the wall.
Common Mistakes
Being loose in the core – this only costs you energy in the shoulders! Make your life easier by keeping a hollow body as best as you can.
Wax on Wax Off
What is it?
Practicing an efficient hand movement for your handstand walks.
What You’ll Need
A wall.
Technique
In a handstand on the wall (facing away from the wall), push even harder into the floor to make space to sweep the other hand around in a small circle (like you’re waxing a car, but elbows straight). This mimics how we want to step in a handstand walk.
Common Mistakes
Bending the elbows too much – in an efficient handstand walk, the elbows bend only slightly.
Lateral handstand walk
What is it?
Practicing the shift from one hand to the other and moving your body with it.
What You’ll Need
A wall.
Technique
In either a chest to wall or normal kick up to handstand position, take steps sideways by moving one hand then the other. Your weight will shift into the grounded hand. You can spice it up by walking over a plate as well if you want more challenge!
Kick Up Step to Wall
What is it?
Practice taking steps in open space then returning safely to the wall.
Technique
Kick up to a freestanding handstand then take a few steps toward the wall. The more confident you are, the further away you can start.
Handstand Step from Wall
What is it?
Taking your first steps in a handstand walk, without having to worry about the accuracy of your kick up.
What You’ll Need
A wall and space away from the wall to walk into.
Technique
Wall walk your way into a chest to wall handstand, shift your weight over the top of the fingertips and start stepping your hands to walk away from the wall.
Common Mistakes
Kicking off the wall instead of shifting into the overbalance, or shifting way too fast and not being able to control the overbalance to turn it into an efficient walk.
Handstand Walk Parallel to Wall
What is it?
Walking on your hands with the assistance of one foot dragging along the wall to prevent serious over- or under-balances.
What You’ll Need
A wall with 3-10m of space that you can walk along without running into any hazards.
Technique
Kick up to handstand then let the foot nearest the wall catch the wall.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the foot behind – you’ll need the foot on the wall to be slightly ahead of where your hands are for this to work well.
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