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Handstand drills to get you off the wall

By Bodyweight Training, Exercise Tutorials, Gymnastics Training

Most early handstand drills start on the wall – because we need help with the balance component at first. One of the mistakes beginners make with this is letting the wall take a lot of their weight. These drills will help you feel what it’s like to shift your weight into your hands instead of the wall.

Do them with the intention of putting as little weight into the wall as you can, using the wall gently for balance only.

Exercise Quick Navigation

    Handstand Hold on Wall

    Technique

    Kick up to a handstand on the wall. Focus on the following:

    • Pushing into the floor to get as tall as you can, and open the shoulder as much as you can
    • Gently squeeze the glutes and pull the ribs down toward your belt line to avoid letting the lower back extend. Only your heels should be on the wall
    • Grip the ground by pushing your fingertips into the floor
    • Shift your body weight over your hands instead of letting it rest into the wall. Touch the wall as lightly as you possibly can.

    Common Mistakes

    • Letting the low back sag and form the “banana back” position.
    • Letting the butt or legs touch the wall
    • Letting the hands be lazy into the floor instead of gripping the ground to pull weight off the wall
    • Relaxing into the shoulders and sinking down toward the floor
    • Squeezing the abs too hard – this will take away from your ability to push into a strong shoulder position, unless you have very impressive shoulder mobility

    Handstand Hold on Wall – chest to wall (wall facing)

    Technique

    The wall facing handstand on wall is harder to get into but is easier to keep a strong body line in. Use this opportunity to focus on keeping the ribs and belt line as close together as they can be without losing range in the shoulder. You do not need to squeeze your abs hard.

    Make sure you stay as light on the wall as possible – the wall should not be doing the work!

    Common Mistakes

    • Relaxing into the shoulders and sinking down toward the floor
    • Squeezing the abs too hard
    • Letting the legs or stomach rest on the wall
    • Letting the wall take your body weight

    Handstand Hold Parallel to Wall

    What is it?

    A way to bridge the gap between free standing holds and holds on the wall. You can use one foot gently on the wall to correct slight over- and under-balances.

    Technique

    Kick up to a freestanding handstand next to a wall, with one shoulder near the wall. Let one foot reach out and catch the wall with your foot. Allow that foot to correct small tips in the wrong direction with your balance – it won’t be enough for major deviations from the balance point but it will help if you wobble a little!

    Wall Pull Aways (heel pulls)

    What is it?

    A movement where you pull yourself from a handstand on the wall and briefly leave the wall to hold off the wall. You can either do these for reps falling back to the wall, or do more aggressive pulls to build strength in the fingers that help to prevent overbalancing.

    Technique

    Kick up to handstand on the wall, placing your fingertips on the ground just over one hand-distance from the wall. Dig your fingertips into the ground hard enough to shift your bodyweight over your hands and allow the heels to gently pull off the wall at the same time. If you can, allow yourself to spend a second or two in that handstand as your heels peel off the wall before returning to the wall. Over time, build the duration up so that you can peel off the wall and hold for several seconds.

    Chest to Wall Pull Aways (Toe Pulls)

    What is it?

    A movement where you drift your bodyweight over your hands from the wall until you are no longer touching the wall. You can use this to practice finding your balance on your hands in a handstand.

    Technique

    Wall walk, split or cartwheel your way into a wall-facing handstand, with the heel of your hand a little more than one hand-distance from the wall. Shift your shoulders and hips over your hands away from the wall, feeling your toes get light and the amount of pressure on the wall slowly reduce to zero. If you can, allow yourself to spend a second or two in that handstand before returning to the wall. Over time, build the duration up so that you can peel off the wall and hold for several seconds.

    Handstand flutter

    What is it?

    A movement that allows you to experience brief moments in the handstand while switching the legs to allow for some support from the wall.

    Technique

    Kick up to a handstand on the wall, a little further away than usual but not far. Separate your legs until you feel the leading leg pull your body weight away from the wall into your hands. Slowly and gently switch which leg is on the wall, letting the legs cross over the middle so there is a brief moment where you are in a handstand.

    Common mistakes

    • Letting the feet slam into the wall – this should be a gentle switch of the feet
    • Letting both feet be on the wall – we are trying to reduce your reliance on the wall with this drill
    • Passive hands – you need to grip the ground to make this work
    • Letting the low back sag – reach tall like you want your toes to touch the sky

    Handstand flutter (chest to wall/wall facing)

    What is it?

    The same as the above, but facing the wall.

    Technique

    Wall walk, split or cartwheel your way into a wall-facing handstand, slightly further away from the wall than usual. Shift your shoulders and hips over your hands away from the wall by separating your legs. Slowly and gently switch which leg is on the wall, letting the legs cross over the middle so there is a brief moment where you are in a handstand.

    Common mistakes

    • Letting the feet slam into the wall – this should be a gentle switch of the feet
    • Letting both feet be on the wall – we are trying to reduce your reliance on the wall with this drill
    • Passive hands – you need to grip the ground to make this work
    • Letting the low back sag – reach tall like you want your toes to touch the sky

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    5 beginner handstand walk drills you *need* to try

    By Bodyweight Training, Exercise Tutorials, Gymnastics Training

    Learning to walk on your hands requires a decent amount of shoulder strength, good handstand foundations, and the ability to shift your body weight from one side to another while maintaining the position of your core and body. These drills focus on learning to shift your body weight without losing shape.

    Exercise Quick Navigation

      Single Arm Lifts in Plank

      What is it?

      The friendliest and easiest first exposure to bringing some of your body weight into one hand. This is a good place to start since it’s less heavy than a pike position and is usually more familiar than a pike.

      Technique

      From a high plank, shift your body slightly to the side so you can lift one hand off the floor.

      Common Mistakes

      Letting your lower bag sag, or upper back drop down between the shoulder blades. Push tall into the floor with locked elbows!

      Plank up downs

      What You’ll Need

      A box and a bumper plate

      Technique

      Starting in a high plank with your feet on the box and your hands either side of a bumper plate, step one hand up onto the plate, then the other. Then, step the first hand back down off the plate, and the second. Repeat for as many reps as is prescribed. Push into the floor to make space and let your shoulder blades glide forward instead of being pinned back

      Common Mistakes

      Make sure you stay tight in abs so your body is a straight line from shoulders to toes – don’t let your lower back sag! Also avoid the upper back sagging down into the shoulder blades – they shouldn’t be sticking up or squeezed back. Keep your elbows nearly locked the whole time and use this push from the sholuder blades to move the hands.

      Plank walk over plate

      What is it?

      This is an entry-level drill to help you understand how to push into the ground to make space for the other hand to sweep through like you would in a handstand walk.

      What You’ll Need

      A bumper plate and a low box.

      Technique

      Setting up with your feet on the box and hands on one side of the bumper plate, walk both hands over the bumper plate. Repeat in the other direction and accumulate time on your hands like this.

      Common Mistakes

      Sagging through the low back, bending the elbows, or sinking into the shoulder blades.

      Single arm alternating pike shift

      What is it?

      This shifting movement is a nice bridge from shifting hands in a plank movement to doing it in a more handstand-like pike movement.

      Technique

      Make a pike position on the floor. Shift your body weight enough to clear one hand from the floor, and tap your hip. Then switch sides.

      Common Mistakes

      Theres’ no need to extend the back heaps here – you can just stay long with the spine.

      Lateral pike walk over plate

      What is it?

      Very much like the plank walk over the plate, but shifting into a more handstand-like position.

      What You’ll Need

      A 20″ x 24″ x 30″ and a bumper plate.

      Technique

      Walking into a pike (knees can be bent) with your hands on one side of the bumper plate, walk your hands over the plate until you’re on the other side. Count this as one rep, then walk back the other way.

      Common Mistakes

      Not getting hips stacked over hands – make sure your hips are directly over the middle of the hands when you do this.

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      How to build handstand-worthy shoulders

      By Bodyweight Training, Exercise Tutorials, Gymnastics Training

      Getting strong enough to spend minutes in a handstand requires spending a lot of time on your hands! But not all of that will happen upside down right away. We can regress straight arm strength training and make it more fun by mixing up positions and adding in other sources of challenge.

      Exercise Quick Navigation

        Plank to Down Dog

        What is it?

        The friendliest, easiest movement to start moving your shoulders from a plank into a more handstand-type postion.

        Technique

        Shift from a high plank position into a pike or downward dog position. Think about pressing into the floor and keeping your neck long.

        Common Mistakes

        There’s no need to extend your back excessively here – that’s not a position we will need in a handstand. Keep your ribs pulled down toward your pelvis like you’re doing a very small crunch and let the shoulders do the work.

        Box Plank Around The World

        What is it?

        An easy way to accumulate lots of time with your weight through your hands and shoulders.

        What You’ll Need

        A 20″ x 24″ x 30″ box.

        Technique

        Set yourself up in a strong plank (no saggy spines!) on a box. Keep your feet in one place, and walk your hands around the box for as many reps as is prescribed.

        Box Plank to Pike

        What is it?

        An early way to expose you to moving from a horizontal position to a stacked, hips over hands position, while still working on straight arm strength. Try to go as close to the box as you can – you want to walk your hands so close to the box you almost feel like you’re going to fall over the top.

        What You’ll Need

        A 20″ x 24″ x 30″ box.

        Technique

        With your feet on a box, walk from a high plank to a pike position (hips stacked over hands). Don’t worry if you have to bend your knees, hips over hands is more important than straight legs.

        Common Mistakes

        Not walking all the way in. Film yourself from the side if you need to check that you are walking close enough. You should be able to draw a vertical line from your hip to the floor and that line should draw through the middle of your hands (not the heel of your hands).

        Lateral Plank Walk Over Plate to Box Wall Walk in Pike

        What is it?

        In a high plank, walking the hands back and forth over a bumper plate then walking into a pike position.

        What You’ll Need

        A 20″ x 24″ x 30″ box and a 10-20kg bumper plate.

        Technique

        Make sure to keep a tight body line and walk all the way into your pike position so your hips are over your hands.

        Pike Around The World

        What is it?

        In a pike position, walking your hands around a box to accumulate time upside down on your hands. It’s not a flexibility contest, so don’t worry if you need a higher box or if you need to bend your knees.

        What You’ll Need

        A 20″ x 24″ x 30″ box.

        Technique

        Walk from a plank with your feet on a box to a pike. Then walk your hands around the box in a circle, keeping your hips stacked over your hands.

        Handstand Up Downs

        What is it?

        A shoulder strength drill that forces you to push into the ground so you can step up onto a plate.

        What You’ll Need

        A wall and a 10-20kg bumper plate.

        Technique

        Place a bumper plate near a wall and kick up to handstand with your hands on either side of the plate. Step one hand up onto the plate, then the other. This will be a narrow shoulder position for some, do your best. Then step back down. That’s one rep! Keep going, it will get burny pretty quickly.

        Common Mistakes

        Letting the back sag instead of staying tall and upright in the handstand.

        Handstand Up Downs C2W

        What is it?

        The same as the above, just facing the wall.

        Technique

        Place a bumper plate near a wall and wall walk or cartwheel into a wall-facing handstand with your hands on either side of the plate. Step your hands up and down onto the plate.

        Common Mistakes

        Putting too much weight into the wall – stay in your hands!

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        How to overcome your fear of going upside down

        By Bodyweight Training, Exercise Tutorials, Gymnastics Training

        Fear is a normal part of learning to handstand (or any gymnastics) and we don’t have to just ignore it! Using drills to stretch your comfort zone helps you learn to become comfortable with new movements and stay safe doing so.

        Learning to bail from a handstand is particularly important, and it all starts with remembering a movement you probably did at school: the cartwheel! The cartwheel helps us understand how to fall from a handstand because you shift onto one hand and rotate around that planted hand. This is the same movement we do when we overbalance from a handstand.

        We can learn cartwheels to intentionally mimic overbalanced positions and learn to manage them, while still progressing them slowly enough that you feel safe.

        Exercise Quick Navigation

          Cartwheel

          Technique

          The important part of a cartwheel is the sequencing – one limb at a time lands on the floor. We don’t want both feet landing on the floor at once. It’s okay if your cartwheel is small at first, but as you gain confidence try to make it bigger and bigger until your feet pass directly over your head and you are perfectly vertical upside down.

          Common Mistakes

          Beginners will be tempted to go around the side of a cartwheel instead of over the top. The more you can get yourself to go fully upside down, the more helpful it will be when you bail from a handstand.

          Cartwheel off box

          What is it?

          When you’re competent with a cartwheel, or if you need to try a different version, you can start the cartwheel with your feet on a box. This will help force your weight further over the top, so make sure you’re not just hopping off to the side of the box.

          What You’ll Need

          A 20″ x 24″ x 30″ box.

          Technique

          Walk your hands in so your hips are over your hands in a pike, then shift your weight over your hands so far that you have to lift one hand with the other still planted, then twist to catch yourself with one foot at a time.

          Common Mistakes

          Landing both feet at once, or falling sideways next to the box instead of rotating over one planted hand.

          Cartwheel off wall

          What is it?

          Much like the box, the wall leaves you with almost no escape from the shift required to go over the top. Get adventurous and force yourself to shift close to the wall so you can really feel what it’s like to overbalance over the top of your hands.

          What You’ll Need

          A wall!

          Technique

          Wall walk your way to a wall-facing handstand, then shift your weight forward in your hands until you start to fall over the top. Shift one hand out of the way, rotate in that direction, and catch one foot on the floor at once.

          Common Mistakes

          Not shifting far enough over the top of the hands.

          Overbalance from wall

          What is it?

          This is much like the cartwheel from wall, but you’re going to generate some momentum pushing off the wall so that you have to catch in your cartwheel quickly.

          What You’ll Need

          A wall.

          Technique

          Wall walk your way to a wall-facing handstand, then use your foot to push off the wall into an overbalance. Shift one hand out of the way, rotate in that direction, and catch one foot on the floor at once.

          Single arm cartwheel

          What is it?

          A more advanced cartwheel that can help you understand how to rotate over one hand a bit faster than the two-handed cartwheel.

          Technique

          Enter the cartwheel as usual, but do not place the second hand on the ground. Twist over the top, landing your feet in the same order as usual.

          Common Mistakes

          The one handed cartwheel is very hard unless you can do a good cartwheel with a full rotation over the top. Make sure your cartwheel is good before you try this!

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          January 31, 2024
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