HandStand Ebook PDF

SIMONSTERSTRENGTH.
COM
DISCLAIMER
Prior to commencing any exercises, it is the responsibility of the reader
to consult a registered health professional regarding participation in this
program.
The author does not assume responsibility for any injuries or damages
arising from use of the information contained herein. Use the following
material at your own risk.
HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

22
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION WARM-UP AND CONDITIONING
Video tools 4 Active range warm-up 40
Gentle resistance warm-up
KEY ELEMENTS
Patience and consistency 6 Stretching
Balancing WORKING TOWARD A HANDSTAND –

Tension
INVERSION HANDSTAND DRILLS
48
Alignment
Frog stand
Headstand
SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT
Hand position 11 Exiting a handstand
Wrist position Wall handstands
Arm position Balancing handstands off the wall
Head position Chest-to-wall handstand scissors

Open shoulders and pushing tall Freestanding handstand
Trunk position and posterior pelvic tilt Walking on your hands
Lower limb position Bonus exercises
Practicing the integrated alignment
HOW TO PRACTICE
Breathing in a handstand 77
PREREQUISITES
35 CLOSING WORDS
Front support shoulder taps
Push-ups 78
32
INTRODUCTION
The handstand is a fundamental element for many disciplines. The ability
to perform a solid handstand unlocks an array of impressive bodyweight
skills and strength training exercises.
To perform a handstand, a combination of mobility, strength, and

neuromuscular control is required. This eBook provides a safe, scientific,
and progressive blueprint to achieving a strong and technically sound
handstand.
The Simonster Strength approach integrates principles from many

disciplines, including circus, gymnastics, and breakdancing, to provide
the safest and most efficient method to achieving a technically sound
handstand.

42
VIDEO TOOLS
We strongly advise you to watch all the included videos. The entire video collection is available on
the Simonster Strength website. Each exercise included herewith will refer directly to the relevant
video link.

52
KEY ELEMENTS
PATIENCE AND
CONSISTENCY
As with all new skills, it is important to take a gradual and progressive
approach. Rushing or skipping steps may lead to injury, incorrect technique,
and/or bad habits. When done correctly, the handstand is a skill largely reliant
on balance and requires relatively little strength. As a result, the progress of
a handstand is usually less linear than conventional strength work. There
are often plateaus, which can be frustrating, but this should be respected.
Training for short-term satisfaction often results in the development of bad
habits in the long term, habits which are difficult to unlearn. Be patient and
consistent with your training and it will pay off.

KEY ELEMENTS
72
BALANCING
Standing on your hands is similar to standing on your feet. You are not perfectly still when standing on your feet; rather,
you are constantly making corrective adjustments based on feedback of body position to stop yourself from falling over. If
you watch a toddler learning to stand you will notice a significant degree of movement, whereas adults usually appear to
be still. In both cases, the distribution of weight continuously shifts position around the base of support. When developed
- for example in adults - the balance comes from very subtle, early corrective movements allowing one to appear still. A
toddler’s balance is not as refined; their reaction to falling occurs later, requiring larger corrective movements. Similarly,
if you look at an adult under the influence of alcohol, you may notice their degree of sway is larger. This is a result of the
delayed reaction caused by alcohol.
Refined balance in standing is controlled by early corrective movements of the feet and ankles. If the balance is
challenged enough or the reaction is too slow, other mechanisms, such as hip movement, will be used. If one is unable to
maintain balance using static mechanisms, they will either fall or be forced to take a step in an attempt to stay upright.
The same is true when on your hands. Initially, when balancing as a beginner, corrections will be made by bending
and straightening the arms, as well as changing the position of the shoulders, back, hips, and legs. The sway will be

large when you initially learn to hold a static handstand. As you improve, the degree of sway will decrease and you
will reach a point where you maintain balance by making small adjustments with your hands and wrists. The weight
should predominantly be in the middle of your hands or slightly toward the base. Your weight will shift toward your
fingertips or the heel of your hand as you begin to lose balance. To recover from falling “over” toward your back,
press your fingers into the floor to push the body back to an upright position. To recover from falling “under”
toward your chest, push the heel of the palm into the floor to return the body to the upright position. Initially,
you may find that you push too hard with corrective movements, throwing you off balance in the opposite
direction. Balancing a handstand requires very precise adjustments; early subtle corrections are the goal,
rather than delayed larger movements.
KEY ELEMENTS
82
TENSION
Body tension refers to contracting or maintaining tension in relevant muscles to keep
proper alignment and posture during a handstand (correct handstand alignment
will be covered in the following section). For example, the abdominal and gluteal
muscles should be contracted to maintain a posterior pelvic tilt and flat lumbar
spine, and the upper trapezius to maintain elevated shoulders (pushing tall).
Initially, it is often difficult to know which muscles to contract, so a whole-body
tightening is adopted where beginners tense their whole body in an attempt
to maintain good posture. As you become more familiar and proficient
with handstands, you will learn to contract only the relevant muscles. This
is more energy efficient, resulting in longer duration holds and greater
capacity for practice.

KEY ELEMENTS
92
BODY
ALIGNMENT
You may have noticed variety in the way people perform a handstand. Some arch their
back with closed shoulders, and some practitioner’s bodies resemble a perfectly straight
line. The arched handstand used to be commonplace in physical culture decades ago,
including Olympic-level gymnastics. Now this technique is seldom seen amongst adept
gymnasts, and performing handstands with this technique rather than a straight body
is penalized. In a technically proficient handstand, the body should be positioned in a
straight line from the hands to the toes. This means the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips,

knees, and ankles are all stacked on top of each other, making the handstand more
reliant on skeletal structure and less so on muscular strength. This is the technique of
choice, as it provides a solid foundation which will make future progressions easier, and
employs a body shape with greater transferability to other skills, such as the planche. It
is also, among many disciplines, the desired aesthetic position.
KEY ELEMENTS
10
2
SEGMENTAL
BODY ALIGNMENT
HAND
POSITION
Hand position should provide you with a stable base of support upon which to rest your weight.
Hands should be positioned directly under your shoulders. Wrist creases should be approximately
parallel, usually found by positioning the index fingers facing forward. This can be adjusted
slightly for comfort. The weight distribution in your hands will be constantly changing as you
rebalance your handstand, and the area on which you focus the weight is a matter of preference.
Maintaining your weight roughly in the middle of the hands or slightly proximal (under the
knuckles or slightly closer to your wrist) is most efficient. Keeping the weight too far forward
toward your fingertips will force the forearms to work harder to maintain balance and result in
fatigue. The position of the fingers is at your discretion. Some hand balancers splay their fingers
apart while others keep them together. While maximally splaying the fingers widens the base
of support slightly, it also compromises the functionality of the fingers; that is, less force can be
generated. What is important, is that you can effectively apply pressure to correct your balance

with your chosen finger position.
WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – HANDS

12
2
WRIST
POSITION
To perform a straight body handstand with correct alignment, 90 degrees
of passive wrist extension is required. This means being able to keep your
palms flat on the floor with your forearms vertical. Having less range will
result in a handstand where the forearms and arms are not vertical, and the
rest of the body will need to compensate to maintain balance. You do not
need 90 degrees of wrist extension to commence handstand training, but
continued effort should be made to achieve this throughout your training.
The following exercises can be used to improve your wrist extension range.

Ensure your body is warmed up before performing these. An example
warm-up can be found in the “warm-up and conditioning” chapter.
WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – WRISTS

13
2
EXERCISE TO INCREASE
WRIST EXTENSION

1
PRONATED WRIST
EXTENSION
STRETCH

On your hands and knees with your fingers facing forward, gently lean your shoulders
over your hands, keeping your arms straight. As with all stretches, perform this to a
point of mild discomfort - not pain. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat for three sets three
to four times weekly; if you have no issues with soreness, you can perform this stretch
daily.

15
2
2 SUPINATED
WRIST
EXTENSION
STRETCH
Starting on your hands and knees with your palms on the floor and
fingers facing toward your feet, gently lean your shoulders backward,
keeping your arms straight until you feel a stretch in your forearms. Hold
for 30 seconds and repeat for three sets three to four times weekly; if
you have no issues with soreness, you can perform this stretch daily.

The above two exercises can also be performed dynamically instead
of statically, at your discretion, by gently rocking back and forth in
the stretch. Perform for 30 seconds and repeat for three sets three
to four times weekly; if you have no issues with soreness, you can
perform these daily.

16
2
ARM
POSITION
As mentioned previously, the joints should be stacked on top of each
other, approximating a straight line. To keep the elbows above the wrists,
the hands should be shoulder-width apart and the elbows straight. A
bend in the elbows will require a larger degree of triceps strength rather
than using skeletal alignment. Elbow creases should be facing each
other.

WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – ARMS

17
2
HEAD
POSITION
Handstands can be performed with various head positions. In early gymnastics, athletes used a “head
out” posture, where the neck would be extended to focus their vision on their hands or the floor in
front of them. Looking at the floor gives a visual reference for the position of the body, which is helpful.
However, this head position means compensation must be made somewhere else in the handstand
and therefore results in an arched body position.
Alternatively, a “head in” posture can be adopted where the neck is flexed and the line of view is
parallel to the floor (looking straight ahead), or angled slightly toward the ceiling. Although there is still
visual input, it is not very useful to use as a reference for body position or to help with balance.
The ideal head position involves gazing at your hands with minimal neck extension, so as not to
compromise body position. To find this point, stand looking straight ahead and then try to look at the

ceiling above you by peering toward your eyebrows, extending the neck as little as possible. When you
are first able to focus on the ceiling directly above you, this is the posture your neck/head should be in
when you are upside-down. With the head in this position, the deltoid muscles should be covering your
ears when the handstand is viewed from the side, and you will still be able to look at your hands or the
floor between them. Neck extension is minimal in this position, so posture elsewhere in the chain is
compromised minimally or not at all. This is the position adopted by most gymnasts today.
HEAD NEUTRAL
WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – HEAD
18
2
HEAD OUT HEAD IN

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2
OPEN SHOULDERS
AND PUSHING TALL
Shoulders should be open to 180 degrees and positioned directly above your hands. When people talk about
“open shoulders” they are talking about the ability to flex the shoulders to 180 degrees. “Closed shoulders” refers
to falling short of this. There are few activities in everyday life that require this range of shoulder flexion, so a
lack of this mobility is common. An inability to fully flex the shoulders to 180 degrees will result in a handstand
that is not properly stacked and inefficient, as well as affecting the aesthetics of the handstand. This will either
require a great deal of anterior shoulder strength or compensation elsewhere in the body to maintain the center
of mass over the base of support. In addition to flexing the shoulders to 180 degrees, the scapulae (shoulder
blades) should also be elevated by pushing tall in your handstand. As mentioned above, your deltoid muscles
should cover your ears. This requires a combination of shoulder flexion, elevation, and correct head positioning.
You can test your active shoulder flexion range by standing upright and, with straight arms, raising your hands
as high above your head as possible. Ensure you do not lean back or arch to compensate. Do not worry if you

cannot actively flex the shoulders to 180 degrees, as this is common in those commencing training as adults.
Progress can still be made with handstand training, but continued effort should be made to achieve 180 degrees
of active shoulder flexion. The following exercises can be used to improve your shoulder flexion range. Ensure
your body is warmed up before performing these. An example warm-up can be found in the “warm-up and
conditioning” chapter.
EXERCISES TO INCREASE SHOULDER FLEXION RANGE
20
2
ADDRESSING THE
PASSIVE
COMPONENT

1 HOLLOW BODY
SHOULDER FLEX-
ION STRETCH
Start facing a wall with your palms flat against the wall and arms straight ahead, then
stretch your shoulders by bending forward, trying to reach 180 degrees of shoulder
flexion (see photo). Keep your torso in a hollow body position by performing a
posterior pelvic tilt (this is covered in the following section) and preventing your
ribs from flaring out. This should not be painful; stop when you feel a mild
stretching sensation. Repeat for three sets of 30 seconds, three to four times
weekly; if you have no issues with soreness, you can perform this stretch
daily. If your shoulder flexion mobility is limited, it is recommended that
this stretch be performed between sets of handstand skill practice. This

is a much better use of rest periods compared to sitting idle - or worse,
devouring social media!

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2
2 COMBINED THORACIC
AND SHOULDER
FLEXION STRETCH
Perform the stretch as above; however, this time try to arch your upper back. This
stretch is particularly useful for those with a rounded back and shoulder posture
who have difficulty flattening or extending their thoracic spine. Repeat for three sets
of 30 seconds, three to four times weekly; if you have no issues with soreness, you
can perform this stretch daily. As noted above, this stretch should also be performed
between handstand skill practice sets if shoulder flexion remains limited.
WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – SHOULDERS

23
2
ADDRESSING THE
ACTIVE
COMPONENT

1 WALL SLIDE
Stand with your back against the wall and your arms bent to
the side. Touch your forearms to the wall in a “W” position.
Maintaining contact with the back of your hands
and forearms on the wall, slide your hands up until
they reach the position they would be in during
a handstand. Lower down slowly and repeat. If
you are struggling to keep your hands against the
wall, this reflects poor active shoulder mobility.
Positioning your feet further from the wall will reduce
the difficulty. Position your feet as close to the wall
as possible while being able to maintain contact
with your hands on the wall. Strive to perform this
movement with your entire back touching the wall.
Repeat for three sets of ten repetitions every second
day.

25
2
2 PRONE BAR
SHOULDER FLEXION
Lying flat with your chest on the floor and your arms extended straight in front of you, hold a light stick
or bar, such as a broomstick, and lift it off the ground as high as you can. Your feet and forehead should
remain on the floor. Ensure that you keep your arms straight and strive to maintain a hollow body position
throughout the hold (see below). Hold for five to ten seconds and repeat repetitions until you accumulate
30 seconds. Perform three sets every second day.

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2
TRUNK POSTION AND
POSTERIOR PELVIC TILT
The natural curvature of the spine is not a straight line; instead, it resembles a subtle “S” shape. To achieve the preferred handstand position,
you want to eliminate this curvature so the body forms a straight line from the hands to the toes. The upper and lower spine should be
made as flat as possible. Gymnasts refer to this as the “hollow body” position, meaning that any arch in the thoracic and lumbar spine
is eliminated. To prevent the curvature of the lower spine the practitioner should perform a posterior pelvic tilt, which requires
good control over the core muscles. The ability to perform a posterior pelvic tilt in other postures, such as standing and lying
on your back, will make finding correct alignment in a handstand quicker and easier. As a result, I recommend practicing
this on your back prior to the inverted handstand work.

WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – TRUNK
27
2
PRACTICING THE
POSTERIOR PELVIC TILT
Lie on your back with your knees bent to 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. Flatten the arch in your lumbar spine to remove any
gap between your lower back and the floor. Practice this until you can achieve the position without difficulty. The same exercise can be
performed standing with your back against the wall, tilting your pelvis posteriorly to eliminate the gap between your lower back and the
wall.
Greater strength and motor control of the core will improve your handstands, so throughout your handstand journey,
practice and increase the difficulty of the following exercise until you can hold a full hollow body position for 30
seconds.

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2
HOLLOW
BODY HOLD
Start by holding the posterior pelvic tilt lying on your back in the position described above for 30 seconds. If you cannot hold this for 30
seconds but can reach the position, perform this in sets to fatigue until a total of 30 seconds has been accumulated. For example, do six sets
of five-second holds. When a 30-second continuous hold has been achieved, progress until you can perform a full hollow body hold for 30
seconds.
To progress toward this final position, start by lifting your head, arms, and legs a couple of inches off the floor, then straightening your legs,
extending your hips, and finally, lifting your arms above your head. Your lower back should remain flat on the floor. Select a level that you
can hold for 30 seconds and perform for three sets every second day. When you can hold a position for 45 seconds, increase the difficulty.

29
2
FRONT
PLANK
An additional exercise to increase the core strength and motor control required for handstands is the front plank. This requires greater
motor control than the hollow body hold, as you are not provided with as much tactile feedback to direct body alignment.
To perform the front plank, start in a push-up position with your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders, and your hands in
front of your elbows. Your head should be in a neutral position with eyes looking toward your hands. Maintain a posterior pelvic tilt to
ensure a hollow body position. Point the toes to replicate the foot position used in a handstand. Build until you can hold this position for
three sets of 30 seconds.

30
2
FRONT
PLANK

If you are unable to hold this for 30 seconds, perform the exercise with your elbows elevated on objects to reduce the difficulty. Select
the lowest height at which you can maintain good technique for 30 seconds, and perform this for three sets every second day. As
you get stronger, lower the height of the objects to increase the difficulty. If you can comfortably perform the exercise on the floor,
lengthening the plank by placing your elbows in front of your shoulders will increase the difficulty. The plank should be performed on
the same days as the hollow body hold exercise to allow for recovery on the days between exercises.

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2
LOWER LIMB
POSITION
Lower limbs should be straight, with knees fully extended, feet together, and toes pointed
to ensure a straight line from your hands all the way to the toes.

WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – LOWER LIMBS

32
2
PRACTICING THE INTEGRATED
ALIGNMENT
A great way to practice this straight body position is to perform it in the more familiar position of standing. First, stand
with your heels against the wall and make your entire back contact the wall by performing a posterior pelvic tilt. Then,
keeping your arms straight, lift your hands above your head so they touch the wall. Ensure that your entire back remains
in contact with the wall as you do this.
This drill is surprisingly difficult and requires a high degree of mobility and motor control. To reduce the difficulty,
position the feet further from the wall. If you cannot maintain contact with the wall as you lift your arms, it may be
because your shoulders are stiff or you are having difficulty engaging the correct muscles to maintain a posterior pelvic
tilt. You may, like many, feel that your butt is too big - it probably isn’t! Possessing larger gluteal muscles will require
greater range of movement of the posterior pelvic tilt to maintain contact with the wall, but most people can achieve
this. For those commencing training as adults, shoulder mobility is often the limiting factor. If you cannot reach the wall
with your hands, continue to practice this, in addition to the hollow body hold exercise and stretching your shoulders,

as described earlier. Build until you can maintain this position for 30 seconds.
Once this position has been mastered against the wall, try to reach the same position away from the wall. This is more
challenging as you are not provided with tactile feedback to guide your alignment. I recommend recording yourself
performing the exercise and reviewing it to ensure you are reaching the correct alignment.
WATCH VIDEO INTEGRATED ALIGNMENT

33
2
BREATHING IN A
HANDSTAND
During your handstand work, it is important to continue to breathe. Holding your breath will prevent you from maintaining a
handstand for an extended duration. To avoid compromise in your body alignment, try to avoid breathing from the chest with
large breaths. Rather, keep your ribs and skeleton still, and breathe through your abdomen with small breaths. This is known as
diaphragmatic breathing and will result in the least compromise to your handstand alignment.
For some people, breathing in a handstand comes naturally. Many achieve a high level of handstand proficiency without any conscious
attention to their breathing technique. However, if you feel your breathing technique is hindering progress, you can practice this
technique separately before integrating into your handstands.
Diaphragmatic breathing can be practiced lying on your back prior to the inverted handstand exercises. Lie on your back with your
knees bent and place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen below the rib cage. Keeping your chest as still as
possible, allow your abdomen to rise as you breathe in and fall as you exhale. When you have mastered this on your back, progress to

standing and finally to performing this in the integrated alignment position, explained in the previous section.
WATCH VIDEO BREATHING IN A HANDSTAND

34
2
PREREQUISITES
To perform a technically sound handstand, certain levels of strength, mobility, and motor control are required. Adequate mobility
in the relevant joints is needed to achieve a position of proper alignment (i.e. the wrists must be able to extend and the shoulders
must be able to flex proficiently). Control over body segments is required to reach and maintain the correct posture (i.e. posterior
pelvic tilt to flatten the lumbar spine) and finally, a mild to moderate degree of strength is required to maintain these positions.
To ensure your safety when first learning to handstand, it is important to confirm you have adequate strength to support your
body in the inverted handstand exercises. This is to minimize your risk of injury and optimize the efficiency of your training. If you
are unable to achieve these prerequisites, the exercises to assist you to fulfil them will follow. Please ensure your body is warmed

up before attempting these. An example warm-up can be found in the following section.
WATCH VIDEO PREREQUISITES
35
2
PREREQUISITE ONE-
FRONT SUPPORT
SHOULDER TAPS
Holding a front support (position at the top of a push-up) with the feet shoulder-width
apart, lift one arm to touch your opposite shoulder, taking three seconds
for the movement. Move your body as little as possible while maintaining
balance. Repeat this three times with each arm.

PREREQUISITES
36
2
EXERCISE-ELEVATED
FRONT SUPPORT
SHOULDER TAPS
If you are unable to do this exercise, perform it with your hands elevated on
objects so you fatigue when performing six to eight repetitions on each
arm. Repeat this for three sets to fatigue every second day. When you can
perform ten repetitions comfortably, lower the height of the objects.
Gradually lower the height of the objects until you are able to complete
six repetitions in total on the floor. When doing this, maintain a
posterior pelvic tilt and hollow body.

PREREQUISITES
37
2
PREREQUISITE TWO-
PUSH-UPS
To ensure you have adequate arm strength, you should be able to comfortably perform at least three solid
push-ups on your hands and feet with good technique before commencing handstand training. This means
the body should stay in a rigid straight line from the shoulders to the heels throughout the movement.
Increased arm strength will allow you to train longer and harder, so aim to increase the number of push-
ups you can complete. I recommend continuing to train these until you can perform at least ten
comfortably.

PREREQUISITES
38
2
EXERCISE-
ELEVATED PUSH-UPS
If you cannot perform three push-ups on your feet, you can perform them on an elevated
surface by raising your hands on a sturdy object. The body will form an incline. The further
the hands are from the floor the easier the exercise will be. As the hands are placed closer
to the floor, the push-up will become more difficult. Every second day, perform three
sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with your hands at a height where you fatigue in this
repetition range. When you can perform 15 at a given height, reduce the height
to increase the difficulty. Keep doing so until you are able to do three full
push-ups on the floor.

PREREQUISITES
39
2
WARM-UP AND
CONDITIONING
Before commencing each training session, it is important to warm-up. You should not
become fatigued during the warm-up; its purpose is to prepare the body for training
and reduce the risk of injury. The following warm-up will condition the relevant joints
and surrounding tissues simultaneously. For handstands, this should take no more than
10 to 15 minutes to complete.

WATCH VIDEO WARM-UP AND CONDITIONING
40
2
ACTIVE RANGE
WARM-UP

This involves actively moving relevant joints through
their full range of motion. Perform each exercise with
ten repetitions.
WARM-UP AND CONDITIONING

41
2
WRIST CIRCLES
With your arms out to the side, make a fist and perform circles with your hands. Once you have completed ten repetitions, repeat in the
opposite direction.
ELBOW ACTIVE RANGE

With your arms out to the side, bend your arms at the elbows, focusing on contracting your biceps. Then extend your elbows, focusing
on contracting your triceps.
ARM CIRCLES
Move your arms through their full range in a circular motion. Start with a forward direction and ensure you control the movement
through the full range, rather than swinging your arms. Perform for ten repetitions, then repeat in the other direction.
WALL SLIDE
Stand with your back against the wall and your arms bent to the side, with the back of your hands and forearms touching the wall in a

“W” position. Maintaining contact, slide your hands up to reach a handstand position. Lower arms down slowly and repeat. Position your
feet as close to the wall as possible while maintaining contact with your hands throughout the slide. If you are struggling to keep your
hands against the wall or extend your arms fully, move your feet further away from the wall to reduce the difficulty. Strive to maintain
contact with your entire back against the wall. The goal is to be able to perform this in a hollow body position.

42
2
GENTLE
RESISTANCE WARM-UP
This is to further prepare the neuromuscular system. Each exercise should be performed with ten repetitions.
WRIST PUSH-UPS (FRONT AND BACK)

On your hands and knees, put minimal weight on your hands and push up onto the fingertips. Do the same with the back of your hands.
Once completed, repeat as above, however, now push up onto the knuckles. Over time, as this becomes comfortable, gradually increase
weight-bearing through your hands.
SHOULDER PROTRACTION PUSH-UPS

Start on your hands and knees. Push your chest as far from the floor as possible, hold for three seconds, then relax and squeeze your

shoulder blades together at the bottom. To increase the difficulty, do this on your hands and feet in a push-up position. Ensure your
elbows stay straight throughout the whole movement. Focus on moving only at the shoulder blades. It is unnecessary to hunch the upper
back excessively during this exercise.

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2
STRETCHING
Adequate mobility is important for handstands, as outlined previously. Performing the following stretches as
part of your warm-up will help to improve your shoulder and wrist mobility. Those who can already comfortably
reach the positions needed for a handstand do not need to stretch as part of their warm-up, but can do so for
maintenance if desired.

1
DYNAMIC
PRONATED WRIST
EXTENSION
STRETCH

On your hands and knees with your fingers facing forward, gently lean your shoulders over
your hands, keeping your arms straight. As with all stretches, perform this to a point of
a mild stretching sensation - not pain. Gently rock forward, in and out of a stretching
sensation, for 30 seconds and repeat for two sets.
WARM - UP AND CONDITIONING

45
2
2 DYNAMIC
SUPINATED
WRIST
EXTENSION
STRETCH
Starting on your hands and knees, with your fingers facing toward your feet
and palms down, gently lean your shoulders backward, keeping your arms

straight until you feel a stretch in your forearms. Gently rock forward, in
and out of a stretching sensation for 30 seconds, and repeat for two sets.

46
2
3 DYNAMIC
SHOULDER
FLEXION STRETCH
Start by facing a wall with your palms flat against the wall and arms straight ahead. Stretch your
shoulders by bending forward, trying to reach 180 degrees of shoulder flexion. Remember
to keep your torso in a hollow body position (no arch in the thoracic or lumbar spine).
If you find your lumbar spine arching, remember to perform a posterior pelvic tilt.
This should not be painful; stop when you feel a mild to moderate stretching
sensation. Gently rock in and out of a stretching sensation for 30 seconds, and
repeat for two sets.

47
2
WORKING
TOWARD A HANDSTAND
INVERSION
HANDSTAND DRILLS

If you have fulfilled the prerequisites, you are now ready to start working toward a handstand. The following is a
guide of systematic progressions toward a freestanding handstand.
48
2
FROG
STAND
Use the frog stand to familiarize yourself with supporting
your weight through your arms and balancing. This is
significantly easier to balance than a handstand due to the
lower center of mass.
Start in a full squat, with your elbows on the inside of your knees and
hands resting on the floor directly in front of your feet. Gradually lean forward, taking
the weight into your hands. The weight of your legs will rest on your elbows through
your knees. Gradually increase the degree of lean until your feet come off the floor.
Control your movement to prevent yourself from falling forward.
Build toward holding this for three sets of 15 seconds.

BUILDING CONFIDENCE BEING UPSIDE-DOWN
For many, the biggest barrier to achieving the handstand is fear of going upside-down. The headstand, along with the angled wall handstand,
can help you build the confidence required for doing a handstand.
WATCH VIDEO FROG STAND

49
2
HEADSTAND
The headstand is significantly easier than a handstand because you have a larger base of support, your center
of mass is closer to the ground, and less upper limb strength is required. To begin, kneel down and place your
hands on the floor shoulder width apart with your head in front of your hands. For the safety of your neck,
ensure that you bear weight through the top of your head, rather than your forehead. From here, straighten
your legs so your weight is no longer on your knees. Gradually shift more and more weight onto your head
as you walk your feet closer to your head. When able, lift one knee and place it on your elbow, then repeat
with the other leg. Here, the weight will be distributed across the hands and head, with some of the weight
of your legs being supported by the elbows. As you become comfortable with this, try to lift your knees off
your elbows into a tuck headstand. From here you can progress the difficulty to a straddle and finally a
straight body headstand. Notice in the straight body headstand the line of the body is not vertical, as the
base of support is distributed across the head and hands.
To exit the headstand when falling toward your chest, simply put your feet on the floor. To exit a headstand
when falling toward your back, tuck your chin to your chest and roll.

Build toward holding the full position for three sets of 30 seconds.
WATCH VIDEO HEADSTAND

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EXITING A
HANDSTAND
Prior to commencing the next progressions, it is important to know how to exit a handstand. When falling toward your front, bring one
foot to the floor to safely exit. When falling toward your back, twist out of a handstand so you land on your feet. This is very similar to a
cartwheel and involves turning the body so that when you bring your feet down they are in front of you. This is the safest way to bail from
a handstand when you can no longer control your balance by pressing your fingers into the floor.
To practice this and simulate falling, you can start by performing a chest-to-wall handstand, as explained below, and gently push off the
wall with your feet. This way you can perform a more precise and mild fall, rather than kicking up, where you may greatly overshoot. When
you get to the point that you can no longer control your balance with your fingers, turn your body, step with one arm, and cartwheel out
of the handstand. You should land on the same leg as the arm you stepped with.
Ensure you are comfortable with this before commencing freestanding work. Always aim to control the exit to perform it as gracefully as
possible.

WATCH VIDEO EXITING A HANDSTAND

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2
WALL
HANDSTANDS
WATCH VIDEO WALL HANDSTANDS

CHEST-TO-WALL
The chest-to-wall handstand is a great way to build confidence for a handstand and perfect your alignment without the need
to balance yourself freely.
To perform the chest-to-wall handstand, initially you will start with an angled handstand and gradually progress toward
vertical. Start in a push-up position with your feet against the wall and gradually walk your feet up the wall, moving your
hands toward the wall. Ensure you keep your elbows straight to reduce the risk of your arms giving way. Only go as far
as you feel confident, and gradually increase the angle as you progress. You can mark on the floor how far your hands
were in the previous session and aim to go closer each session. Try to maintain straight body alignment, meaning
your body should be in the same position as it would in a full handstand, but angled to the wall.
When you have reached a full chest-to-wall handstand, the base of your hands should be no further than a few
inches from the wall. Find the correct alignment by having your sternum, hips, and toes all touching the wall.
Ensure your shoulders are open as close to 180 degrees as possible.
Walk your hands away from the wall or cartwheel out to exit the handstand. Exiting a chest-to-wall handstand

can be challenging. Practice bailing from this position so the movement becomes automatic. For maximum
safety, don’t perform chest-to-wall handstands to failure as you will not have the energy to exit correctly.
Build toward holding the full position for three sets of 30 seconds.

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CHEST-TO-WALL

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BACK-TO-WALL
When you are comfortable and proficient maintaining good alignment in a chest-to-wall handstand, you can commence
the back-to-wall handstand. Performing this prior to the chest-to-wall handstand can instill bad habits, especially arching
the back. There is only one point of contact with the wall (heels) in a back-to-wall handstand, compared with three in the
chest-to-wall handstand. As a result, there are fewer tactile cues to direct proper alignment.
The back-to-wall handstand also helps to familiarize you with the entry needed for a freestanding handstand, with the
safety of a wall behind you.
Place your hands on the floor a few inches from the wall, kick up by pushing off one leg and kicking the other toward
the wall. Start with a very small kick and gradually increase the height until the leg touches the wall. The second leg
should follow to join the first leg. As you kick into the handstand, the shoulders must simultaneously open.
Try to resist the temptation to arch the back in this exercise, keeping the body as close to a straight line as possible.
Build toward holding this for three sets of 30 seconds.

Note: The posture of a freestanding handstand is between the
chest-to-wall and back-to-wall handstand.
When you move on to freestanding drills, continue to perform one to two sets of wall handstand work, short of fatigue,
as part of your warm-up. Doing so will help reinforce accurate alignment and prepare the neuromuscular system for
correct technique during your freestanding drills.

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BALANCING
HANDSTANDS
OFF THE WALL
Once you are comfortable with the wall handstands, you are ready to increase
the difficulty by introducing a balance component.
WATCH VIDEO BALANCING HANDSTANDS OFF THE WALL

BACK-TO-
WALL BALANCE
This exercise will help you learn how to correct your balance as you begin to fall “over” toward your back.
Start with a back-to-wall handstand, keeping your body rigid, and lift your feet off the wall by pressing your
fingertips into the floor. Try to resist the urge to kick off or arch the body to get off the wall. Placing your
hands further from the wall will increase the range of movement of this exercise, but make it more difficult
to lift off the wall. Initially, lift the feet off the wall slightly before returning to the wall. As you become

more comfortable, reach the vertical handstand position before returning to the wall, ensuring you are
maintaining correct alignment throughout the movement.
Build toward performing this for three sets of 30 seconds.

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2
BACK-TO-
WALL
BALANCE

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2
CHEST-TO-
WALL BALANCE
Ensure you are comfortable with how to exit a handstand before attempting the chest-to-wall balance.
This exercise will help you learn how to correct your balance as you begin to fall “under” toward your chest. This correction is
more difficult than correcting falling “over”. This is the result of a mechanical disadvantage due to the structure of the hands.
The fingers extend further in front of the wrist than the heel of the hand does behind the wrist. This difference in leverage
means it is easier to correct falling “over” by pushing the fingers into the floor than it is to correct falling “under” by pushing
the heel of the hand into the floor. As a result, falling “under” often requires a change in shoulder position in addition to
wrist movement to maintain balance. Only very early corrections will be effective using just the wrists.
Start by performing a chest-to-wall handstand with just your feet touching the wall and your hands positioned slightly
further from the wall than a normal chest-to-wall handstand. Placing your hands further from the wall will increase the
range of movement of this exercise, but make it more difficult to lift off the wall. Keeping your torso and lower limbs rigid,

try to lift your feet off the wall by pressing the heel of your hand into the ground and allowing your shoulders to move
forward over your wrists. From here, straighten your shoulders to achieve the straight-body handstand position with
no part of your body touching the wall. Initially, just lift the feet off the wall slightly before returning to the wall. As you
become more comfortable, increase the range of movement to reach the vertical handstand position and try to hold it
momentarily before returning to the wall. Ensure you maintain correct body alignment throughout the movement. Try to
resist the urge to kick off or arch to get off the wall. This will make corrections harder in the future when no wall is present.

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CHEST-TO-
WALL
BALANCE

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CHEST-TO-WALL
HANDSTAND
SCISSORS
When you are comfortable correcting balance with the previous exercises, you can add a dynamic
component with the lower limbs. In addition to improving your balance and body awareness in a
handstand, this exercise will help refine the last stage of the kick-up to handstand.
Start in a chest-to-wall handstand with the hands at least a foot away from the wall. Having the hands
further from the wall will increase the range of this exercise. Keep one leg upright, in line with the rest of
the body, and one leg flexed at the hip so that the foot touches the wall. Keep the weight on the wall to
a minimum. You should reach a level where you could hold this position even if the wall was removed.
Note: The body and upright leg will be angled slightly away from the wall to counter the weight of the

flexed leg. From here, lift the flexed leg to join the other leg in an upright handstand, hold for three to
five seconds, then flex the opposite leg to meet the wall.
The exercise should be done slowly and controlled. As you progress, you should reach a level where
pausing at any point during the exercise is possible.
WATCH VIDEO CHEST-TO-WALL HANDSTAND SCISSORS
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FREESTANDING
HANDSTAND
As you commence your freestanding training, keep in mind the desired straight body posture.
Start with your hands on the floor and your shoulders directly over the wrists. From here,
kick with one leg and push with the other. For safety, gradually increase the height you kick
to until you reach the full handstand position. Once your legs leave the ground, try to keep
them straight. The shoulders must open as your legs rise to reach the correct handstand
posture. To improve the consistency of your entry, kick into a handstand and catch with your
legs split, then slowly bring them together, rather than trying to snap them together straight
away. The split position is easier due to a lower center of mass, less power required to reach
the position of balance, and greater stability. This position and moving to a full handstand
from it has already been practiced with the chest-to-wall handstand scissors. Practice is
required to perfect the entry until you can use the precise amount of power to stop at the

balance point. This will be refined over time. Initially you may overshoot or undershoot with
your entry.
Build until you can consistently hold the freestanding handstand for 60 seconds. If endurance
is an issue, practicing wall handstands for 60 seconds can help improve your capacity.
WATCH VIDEO FREESTANDING HANDSTAND
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FREESTANDING
HANDSTAND

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PARTNER
SPOT
Although not necessary to achieve a handstand, having the luxury of a spotting partner can speed your
progress. If you have a partner available, you can have them spot your handstands by placing their hands a
small distance to either side of your legs once you have kicked into the handstand. From here, they provide
assistance only if you fall to the limits of their hands. The spotter should act as walls on either side of your
handstand. Rather than pushing you back to a handstand, you should try to correct the balance yourself

and lift off their hands, using the skills learned from the wall balance exercises. The spotter should also
provide feedback about your handstand technique if your alignment deteriorates. They can also help you
to gain confidence with your entry by assisting if you overshoot.

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WALKING ON
YOUR HANDS
Many teachers discourage their students from walking at any time in their handstand journey; but to truly master the handstand, you should
be competent with both static and dynamic handstands. Having the ability to walk provides a greater skillset and allows you to choose
between static or dynamic handstands. Handstand walking is also a prerequisite for more advanced skills, such as one-arm handstands and
hops.

WATCH VIDEO WALKING ON YOUR HANDS

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WALL WALKING
PREREQUISITE
Before attempting to walk in a freestanding handstand, ensure you have adequate single arm strength
by performing small steps on the spot with your chest facing the wall. Start by simply shifting your
weight, then progress by going to your fingertips on your non-supporting hand, then lift one arm

to touch the opposite shoulder. When you can perform this for repetitions, touching the opposite
shoulder comfortably, you are ready to start freestanding walks.

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WALKING AS A
BALANCE STRATEGY
Often when learning to perform a handstand with the goal of holding a stationary position, you will find your corrections are not quick
enough to stop you from falling. A good way to make handstand training more efficient and add an extra balance strategy is to walk
on your hands. When commencing the freestanding handstand, walking on your hands is not the goal - it is only a strategy to maintain
balance. Walk on your hands in the same direction that you’re falling to reposition your base of support under your center of mass.
Once you have regained your balance, you should try to stay in the position and balance statically, only walking when you are unable to
correct with static balance strategies.
You can begin to practice walking upon commencing your freestanding training, assuming you have mastered the previous levels.
WALKING
DELIBERATELY
If you are competent in holding a static handstand and want to develop your handstand
walking skills, try to deliberately walk in a particular direction. This will require you to “lose
balance” slightly by letting your center of mass drift in the direction you want to walk. Try to
master this in all directions (forward, backward, both sides) so you can deliberately walk at
will in any direction.
You can also try to walk on the spot, which requires greater control when shifting weight
onto one arm. This is the same as the wall walk; however, now you will be trying it free-

standing. Try to shift your weight to one arm, initially taking the other hand onto the fingertips.
Once comfortable, use your free arm to touch your opposite shoulder. This exercise can be
performed in straddle, half straddle, or full positions. Remember, the goal with this is to be
able to perform the exercise while staying in the same spot.
Build until you can walk for 30 seconds continuously.

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BONUS
EXERCISE
Once you have mastered the static two-arm handstand and are confident walking on
your hands, the following exercises can be used to further develop your handstand
control.

WATCH VIDEO BONUS EXERCISES
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HEAD-THROUGH
HANDSTAND
Perform a static handstand hold, but rather than looking at your hands, flex your neck to look straight
ahead of you, or put your chin on your chest. This will challenge your balance, as it will change the
distribution of your mass and your visual field.

Build until you can hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

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TUCK AND STRADDLE
POSITIONS
The tuck and straddle positions are beneficial for continued handstand improvement. Flexing the hips
in the tuck and straddle positions forces the shoulders and hips to move in front of your wrist to counter
the weight of your legs.
TUCK
Start with a straight body handstand and bend your hips and knees to enter a tuck position.
Keep your back straight as you enter the tuck.
Build until you can hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

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STRADDLE
Start with a straight body handstand and open your legs - you will notice they only go so far when
you open them directly to the side. This position is often referred to as “half straddle”. To open the
legs fully, the hips need to flex to some degree.
Build until you can perform this for 30 to 60 seconds.

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COMBINED
TUCK, STRADDLE,
AND STRAIGHT
HANDSTAND
A good exercise to further improve balance and control is to transition between tuck, straddle,
and straight body positions. Start with a straight body handstand and move to straddle, tuck,

and back to straight position, then perform in the reverse order: tuck, straddle, straight.
Ensure that you control the movement throughout the full range.
Build until you can perform this for 30 to 60 seconds.

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2
HANDSTAND
SHRUGS
Keeping your arms straight, relax your shoulder muscles, allowing the body to
move closer to the floor; then elevate your shoulder blades by pushing yourself
as tall as you can. Hold the position at the top for two seconds. Repeat and
ensure you control the movement through the full range.
Build toward performing this for 30 seconds.

SHOULDER BLADES DEPRESSED

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HANDSTAND
SHRUG

SHOULDER BLADES ELEVATED

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HOW TO PRACTICE
As the handstand is mainly skill rather than strength-dependent, training resembles a structure similar to learning an instrument or juggling. Practicing
a skill requires repeated exposure and repetition. Think of your sessions as blocks of time working on drills which will make you more proficient. The
quantity of the reps is less important than the quality of the practice. This is contrasted with a weight-training program, where prescribed sets and reps are
important to force growth and adaptation. Training for handstands is very individualized and different people will be able to train to different capacities.
Improvement is not just dependent on the number of repetitions or hours spent practicing, it is also dependent on the quality and effectiveness of that
practice.
Practice should be consistent and focused to address content or weaknesses that lie at the edge of your current abilities. Practicing exercises or drills
that are too difficult or too easy will be largely ineffective in promoting progress. Practice should focus on exercises that are not so easy that you can
perform them consistently every time, but not so difficult that you can rarely achieve the desired goal. To guide which drills you should be performing,
recommendations of what to achieve before progressing to more difficult drills are listed in the explanations.
Frequent repetitions of an exercise with breaks for recovery should form the foundation of your practice. You can perform multiple sessions a day, but
beginners should start slowly and gradually build the volume of their practice to reduce the risk of an overtraining injury to the wrists or shoulders. I
recommend beginners start by training every second day, and gradually increase the volume to daily if there are no issues with general fatigue or soreness.
There is no golden rule for how many hours one should be practicing, but generally more practice means more improvement, as long as the quality of
training is maintained. The key to progress is finding the balance between practice and recovery. Symptoms of overtraining can include fatigue despite
adequate sleep, sore joints and muscles, and reduced strength/energy when training. It is important that you listen to your body; if you are experiencing
these symptoms, reduce your training volume.
Practice should stop when you are no longer able to perform exercises with decent technique. When you notice that your form has been compromised,
stop and rest. Training with bad technique can reinforce bad habits. For those training for strength and skills concurrently, strength should be trained
after skills so bad habits are not formed when fatigued. For example, if you can hold a freestanding handstand but want to perform wall handstands with
the purpose of building endurance, these should be done after the freestanding practice.
CLOSING WORDS
An extremely important component for progress with handstands is consistency. For many, handstand
progress is subtle and gradual, making short-term improvements difficult to perceive. As a result,
staying motivated can be challenging. Try to enjoy the process and set small, progressive goals along
the way to help keep you driven. Be patient and consistent with your practice and long-term results
will be extraordinary.
Mastery of the two-hand handstand is an impressive feat, but not the pinnacle of handstand ability. There
are many options beyond the scope of this eBook if you want to progress further (for example, the
one-arm handstand). The skills taught in this eBook should provide you with a solid foundation,
no matter what your handstand goals may be.
I hope you find your journey toward the handstand enjoyable and rewarding, and wish
you luck along the way.
We would love to see your progress!

For feedback and queries related to this eBook, please contact:
simon@simonsterstrength.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced, uploaded to the internet, or

transferred to another person by any means without the prior permission of the
copyright owner.
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SIMONSTERSTRENGTH.

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

Balancing WORKING TOWARD A HANDSTAND –

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

To perform a handstand, a combination of mobility, strength, and

The Simonster Strength approach integrates principles from many

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

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WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – HANDS

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – WRISTS

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – HEAD

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

EXERCISES TO INCREASE SHOULDER FLEXION RANGE

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

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SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

WATCH VIDEO ALIGNMENT – SHOULDERS

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

WATCH VIDEO INTEGRATED ALIGNMENT

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

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WATCH VIDEO BREATHING IN A HANDSTAND

SEGMENTAL BODY ALIGNMENT

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WATCH VIDEO PREREQUISITES

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HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA

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WARM-UP AND CONDITIONING

ELBOW ACTIVE RANGE

HANDSTAND • SIMON ATA