Wall Handstand Exercise Guide: How to Master Wall Handstands

A handstand is a bodyweight exercise in which you stand upside down on your hands. Handstands can comprise a whole-body workout, helping you build upper-body strength and core strength. Handstanding is great for building shoulder strength, making handstands a common exercise in gymnastics workouts. Performing a freestanding handstand is an advanced movement that requires practice. Practicing a handstand against the wall is a great way to get comfortable with a handstand hold and build strength that will help you prepare for performing a full handstand. For wall handstands, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 15–60 second holds. Choose your sets and length of holds based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout each set. 1. Face away from a wall. Get into an all-fours position with your knees and toes flexed and in contact with the floor. Your hips should be over your knees and the soles of your feet should be pressed against a sturdy wall. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders. 2. Grip the ground with your hands and rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats. Pre-tension your shoulders and hips while engaging your core. 3. Push your hips into the air and begin to slowly walk your feet up the wall. 4. As you walk up the wall, walk your hands toward the wall. Continue to walk up the wall until your legs are straight and your hands are directly underneath your shoulders. 5. In the handstand position, your shoulders should be over your wrist and your hips should be over your shoulders. Your legs should be fully extended. 6. Push your hands through the ground and allow your shoulder blades to elevate to create a stable upper body position. Your shoulders should be rotated outward to engage your upper back. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. Your ears should be in line with your upper arms. 7. Squeeze your legs together and squeeze your glutes and quads. Engage your core. Your ribs should be down and your pelvis should be slightly tucked. 8. While maintaining your alignment, keep a strong core and tension throughout your body as you hold the wall handstand position. Hold for your desired length of time, then walk your hands forward while walking your feet down the wall to return to the starting position. 9. Repeat the wall handstand for your desired number of repetitions and length of time. Handstands are an effective exercise for building core, back, and shoulder strength. There are several benefits to performing handstands against a wall. 1. __Handstands engage multiple muscle groups__. Handstands engage muscles throughout your entire body, including your triceps, trapezius muscles, hamstrings, and deltoids. 2. __Handstands can improve blood circulation__. The upside-down positioning of a handstand increases blood flow to the brain. This can help improve the functioning of your cardiovascular and lymphatic systems. 3. __Handstands against a wall are great for beginners__. Performing a freestanding handstand requires a lot of upper-body, core, and lower-body strength that could pose a significant challenge to beginners. Practicing against a wall is a great way to build the appropriate strength and balance required to do a freestanding handstand. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort. To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery. Throw on some athleisure, fire up a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com), and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and *GQ* fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time. Refining your wall handstand can help you work your way up to a freestanding handstand, an advanced movement and full-body workout. Learn more about the benefits of doing wall handstands and how to perform your first wall handstand.