4 steps to nail a handstand — even if you've never done one, according to a gymnast
- Mastering a handstand requires strength, balance, mobility — and lots of patience.
- Gymnast and handstand coach Rhys Morgan explained how to build up to one from scratch.
Handstands not only look cool, they're great for the body too. The challenging movement requires engagement of the whole body, as well as good strength, mobility, and stability.
"A lot of people think handstands are difficult, and they're right," Rhys Morgan, a gymnast and handstand instructor at London gym Gymbox, told Insider. "But anyone can learn to handstand — the oldest person I've taught was 65, he was a postman who had terrible mobility and no strength at all."
To do a handstand, it's important to work on a combination of skills to progress, Morgan said.
"It takes focus and dedication, but as long as you're willing to put in a bit of time, there's no reason you can't be a handstand genius in a few months," he said.
Fear holds most people back from progressing
It's not lack of strength, stability, or mobility that holds most people back — it's fear, Morgan said.
"Build confidence by getting familiar with the handstand," he said. "We need to get people upside down with exercises like the incline handstand, and we need to teach people to get in and out of the handstand safely."
If you know how to get out of a handstand safely, your fear of falling will eventually dissipate, which is key.
Working on shoulder mobility will help
Many people have poor shoulder mobility, meaning they can't reach their arms straight up passed their ears. This doesn't mean they'll never achieve a handstand though, it just won't look very straight at first, Morgan said.
His top three exercises to improve shoulder mobility are:
- Downward dog
- Puppy pose
- Door frame hang
Hold each position for 30-60 seconds, he said.
Wrist mobility is also important, so warm up before practicing by getting on to your hands and knees and moving your hands in different positions on the floor, such as: palms down and fingers pointed out, palms up and fingers out, and palms down and fingers pointed at your knees. Rock your body to feel a gentle stretch.
"During your handstand training, you will likely feel an ache in your wrists because they aren't designed to take your whole body weight in such a compromised position," Morgan said. But as you build up, your wrists will adapt.
How to work up to a handstand
If you don't feel ready to try a handstand yet, strengthen your body with exercises like hollow holds, incline handstands, and shoulder shrugs with a weight held overhead with a straight arm.
Once you've mastered those, build up to a handstand with these steps:
1. Wall support
The ability to kick up against the wall and hold the handstand is key, Morgan said.
2. Off the wall
Morgan recommends two exercises for getting off the wall:
Heel pulls: Face your body out from the wall and pull your heels off one at a time.
Toe pulls: Face the wall and tap your toes off of it one foot at a time. This move is more advanced and requires confidence with dismounts.
3. Dismounts
Once you can balance briefly off the wall, start practicing your dismount.
There are three ways to do this: stepping, rolling, and cartwheeling, Morgan said.
"The scariest is the roll-out," he said, and recommends practicing forward rolls first.
4. Freestanding
When you can kick up, balance a little, and safely dismount, the final step is holding the handstand.
Practice consistently while continuing conditioning drills to stabilize your shoulders and wrists, Morgan said.
Morgan shared three tips to help you nail a handstand:
- Imagine squeezing the bum of someone you fancy to grip the ground.
- Stretch as high as possible off the floor to keep your posture straight.
- Keep breathing.
How to handstand in four steps
1. Kick up
"Start with your hands stretched above your head, take a long deep lunge to reach as far forward as possible, and kick up into the air," Morgan said.
2. Catch the handstand
"Once your leading leg is in the air, bring your feet together," Morgan said. "As your feet connect, squeeze the ground with your hands and stretch up as high as possible to stop still in the handstand."
3. Stabilize
"Holding onto the ground, use your fingers and palms to adjust your position to stop yourself from losing balance," Morgan said.
As you practice, you will learn to coordinate your hips and shoulders, adjusting your weight to counterbalance yourself.
4. Dismount
"You don't always get to choose how you dismount from the handstand, it depends on your weight distribution when you lose balance," Morgan said.
You'll need to roll out if you fall forwards, cartwheel if you fall sideways, and simply place one foot on the ground if you fall backwards.
Stability is the hardest part and takes a long time to master, Morgan said, so keep practicing and be patient.