Handstand Push Up Progressions

Progressions

1. 01

   Bend-Arm Handstand Hold

   • Kick up into a freestanding handstand and find your balance

   • Spread your fingers and grip the floor with your fingertips

   • Slowly lower by bending your elbows, leaning the shoulders forward

   • Stop at approximately 90 degrees elbow bend

   • Keep the head in front of the hands, forming a tripod shape

   • Maintain a straight body line - squeeze glutes and abs

   • Look at the floor between your hands to track balance

   • Use finger pressure to micro-adjust balance while holding

2. 02

   Bent-Arm Handstand Press

   • Start in a deep pike position with hands shoulder-width apart on the floor

   • Lean forward, shifting your weight over your hands

   • Press through the shoulders while lifting your hips overhead

   • Keep the elbows slightly bent throughout the press

   • Stack your hips over your wrists as you lift your legs

   • Extend the arms fully at the top, opening the shoulders

   • Maintain tight core and pointed toes throughout

   • Lower back down with control along the same path

3. 03

   Headstand Push Up

   • Start in a freestanding handstand with hands shoulder-width apart

   • Lean the shoulders forward as you lower down

   • Place the head in front of the hands, forming a triangle between hands and head

   • Lower with control until the top of the head gently touches the floor

   • Keep elbows tucked at roughly 45 degrees, not flared wide

   • Pause briefly at the bottom, then press back up through shoulders and triceps

   • Fully extend the arms and open the shoulders at the top

   • Use finger pressure to maintain balance throughout

4. 04

   Floor Handstand Push Up

   • Start in a freestanding handstand with hands shoulder-width apart

   • Lean the shoulders forward as you descend

   • Lower with control until the head lightly touches the floor

   • Head lands in front of the hands, forming a tripod position

   • Keep elbows tucked at roughly 45 degrees throughout

   • Press back up by driving through the shoulders and triceps

   • Fully extend the arms and stack the shoulders at the top

   • Maintain a straight body line - squeeze glutes and point toes

5. 05

   Deeper ROM Handstand Push Up

   • Set up with hands on elevated surfaces (blocks, books) to allow deeper ROM

   • Kick up into a freestanding handstand on the elevated surfaces

   • Lean the shoulders forward and lower with control past the normal head-to-floor depth

   • Head drops below hand level for an extended range of motion

   • Keep elbows tucked at roughly 45 degrees throughout

   • Press back up through the full range, extending arms completely at the top

   • Maintain a straight body line with glutes and abs engaged

   • Control the movement in both directions, especially the deeper bottom position

6. 06

   Full ROM Handstand Push Up

   • Set up parallettes or raised surfaces shoulder-width apart

   • Kick up into a handstand on the parallettes with a neutral grip

   • Lean the shoulders forward as you descend

   • Lower with control until your shoulders reach hand level (full ROM)

   • Head passes below hand level, forming the tripod position

   • Press back up by driving through shoulders and triceps

   • Lock out fully at the top, opening the shoulders completely

   • Use finger pressure on the parallettes for balance adjustments

Common mistakes

• Arching the back (banana handstand)
• Elbows flaring out wide
• Not fully extending arms at the top
• Head placed directly between the hands
• Dropping down too fast
• Not using fingers to correct balance
• Staying too vertical during the descent