Athena Vale
Handstands are a fun and challenging way to build muscle and improve fitness. They require a combination of strength, balance, and flexibility, engaging multiple muscle groups throughout the body. Handstands can be an excellent way to improve upper body strength, particularly in the shoulders, and increase core stability. They also promote blood flow, which can have potential benefits for overall health, including improved cerebrovascular health and reduced signs of ageing. However, it's important to approach handstands with caution, ensuring you have adequate strength and understanding of the correct progressions to avoid injury.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle Groups | Upper-body muscles, including triceps, shoulders, traps, lats, calves, quads, hips, glutes, pecs, biceps, deltoids, abdominals, hip flexors, hamstrings, inner thigh muscles, lower back, erector spinae, back extensors, latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis, obliques |
| Other Physical Benefits | Improved balance, concentration, flexibility, pelvic control, core strength, shoulder strength, blood flow, cerebrovascular health, and reduced signs of aging |
| Mental Benefits | Improved mental focus, concentration, sense of calmness, clarity of mind, mood, reduced stress, and relief from short-term depression and anxiety |
| Prerequisites | Warm up wrists, shoulders, and core; build strength in arms, shoulders, and upper body; learn progressions; learn to get out of a handstand safely |
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What You'll Learn
Shoulder strength and stability
The shoulder joint's mobility and stability are influenced by various factors, including acromion structure variations, tendon insertions, and muscle fusion. Restricted shoulder mobility can hinder your ability to perform a straight-line handstand and impact other pole moves like the Ayesha. Therefore, it is important to address any mobility restrictions before attempting a handstand. Screening tests can help identify any issues, and soft tissue work, such as foam rolling, can improve shoulder mobility and increase the range of motion.
To build shoulder strength and stability for handstands, exercises that strengthen the rotator cuff and scapular stabilisers are essential. This includes exercises like dead hangs, where you hang from a pull-up bar for as long as possible, and straight-arm external rotations, where you pull a cable at eye height and perform external rotations through the shoulder. These exercises help build the strength and motor control needed to stabilise the shoulder joint during a handstand.
Additionally, exercises that focus on shoulder tension and pelvic control are beneficial. For example, the press handstand progression helps build the necessary body tension and pelvic control for a successful handstand. By focusing on strengthening the shoulder joint and improving its stability, you can improve your handstand technique and reduce the risk of injury.
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Upper-body strength
Handstands are a great way to improve upper-body strength and shoulder stability. They are a full-body strengthening exercise, but the arms, shoulders, upper and lower back, and abs do most of the work. Handstands strengthen the muscles in your arms, shoulders, and upper body, making them one of the most beneficial upper-body exercises. They can improve your strength, flexibility, and coordination.
When you're upside down in a handstand, your blood flow inverts, increasing circulation to your upper body and relieving pressure on your feet and legs. They also benefit your spine, increase bone health in your wrists, arms, and shoulders, and stretch your diaphragm, increasing blood flow to your lungs.
Training for handstands will strengthen your vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation. Improving balance can reduce the risk of falls, especially for older adults. Handstand training increases muscle activity around your shoulder, and handstand straining develops strength in your upper-body muscles, including your traps, pecs, lats, biceps, and deltoids.
Mastering a handstand can be a powerful way to improve your upper-body strength and coordination. It is a skill that requires control over your whole body and can be a fun challenge to add to your training routine. However, it's important to take it slowly and build up the strength in your arms and shoulders before attempting a handstand.
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Core strength
While handstands require the engagement of multiple muscle groups, the importance of core strength is a topic of debate. Some sources claim that core strength is not particularly relevant in handstands, while others emphasize its crucial role in maintaining balance and stability.
The Argument Against Core Strength
Those who argue against the need for core strength in handstands suggest that it is more about technique and the strength of other muscle groups, particularly the shoulders, wrists, and fingers. They explain that when standing upright, core strength is not actively engaged, as the legs bear the weight. Similarly, in a handstand, the base of support is provided by the upper body, and core strength is not the primary factor in maintaining stability.
The Argument for Core Strength
On the other hand, proponents of core strength training for handstands emphasize its role in balance and control. They argue that when upside down, a strong core helps maintain direction and stability. Without proper core engagement, it becomes challenging to maintain a handstand, and one may lose balance and fall. Additionally, core strength is said to help with body positioning and alignment, contributing to a more controlled and stable handstand.
Several exercises are recommended to improve core strength specifically for handstands. These include:
- Dead Bug Exercise: This exercise focuses on engaging the core muscles while maintaining proper alignment. It involves lying on your back with arms extended toward the ceiling, legs lifted, and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Pressing the lower back into the floor and practicing controlled breathing help synchronize breath with core engagement, crucial for handstand stability.
- Hollow Hold: This exercise teaches proper body alignment and positioning. It involves lying on your back with arms extended overhead and lifting the head, shoulders, and legs slightly off the ground, creating a crescent shape with the body.
- Superman Hold: This exercise helps build core strength and improves the overhead range of motion. It involves lying face down with arms and legs extended and then lifting the arms, chest, and legs off the ground to form a uniform curve.
While the debate continues, it is evident that core strength training can be beneficial for those aiming to master handstands. It can help improve balance, stability, and body alignment, making it easier to hold the handstand pose. However, it is also important to recognize that handstands require a combination of strength, flexibility, and technique, and focusing solely on core strength may not be the key to success. A well-rounded approach that targets multiple muscle groups and practices correct form is more likely to lead to a successful handstand journey.
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Balance and flexibility
The trapezius muscle, located in the upper back, is key to stabilising the neck and head during the inverted position. It works with the chest muscles, such as the pectoralis major and minor, to maintain balance and stabilise the shoulders. The erector spinae and back extensors in the upper back and back muscles maintain the alignment of the lumbar spine, preventing arching or collapsing. The latissimus dorsi, large back muscles, assist in keeping the arms close to the ears for a straight line.
Flexibility in the hips and hamstrings is also vital for a handstand. It allows you to bring your legs up and over your head into the air. Without sufficient hip and hamstring flexibility, kicking up into the handstand pose can be challenging. Additionally, wrist mobility and strength are essential for handstands. The wrists bear most of the body's weight, and adequate mobility allows for proper form, balance, and control while reducing the risk of strain.
Practising handstand holds, starting with wall support and gradually moving towards freestanding handstands, helps build endurance, balance, and muscle memory. It trains your proprioception, enhancing your sense of body awareness and improving coordination. Handstands challenge your vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation, and they require precise control of your muscles to stay upright.
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Blood flow and health benefits
Handstands are a great way to increase blood flow throughout your body. They are especially beneficial for your head, as they provide increased blood flow to your eye and hair follicles, delivering an abundance of nutrients and oxygen and reducing the likelihood of vision loss and hair loss.
Handstands also aid in the release of stuck substances in your bowels and increase blood flow to areas typically subjected to pressure and gravity. This helps improve blood circulation, which is key to a healthy digestive system. When done alongside abdominal breathing, the benefits are even greater.
Additionally, handstands can help cleanse the body's cells of toxins through the stimulation of the lymphatic system. This is because handstands promote proper lymph circulation, which is essential for removing waste and maintaining a healthy immune system.
While some believe that handstands increase blood flow to the brain, studies have shown that this is not the case. In fact, one study found that headstands (Sirshasana) resulted in a decrease in cerebral blood flow, contrary to popular belief.
Overall, handstands offer a variety of health benefits due to their ability to increase blood flow and circulation throughout the body.
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Frequently asked questions
The handstand requires a combination of strength, body awareness, and proper form. The muscles used include the shoulder muscles, deltoids, trapezius, abdominal muscles, hip flexors, inner thigh muscles, and lower back muscles.
You can build the muscles required for a handstand by doing exercises such as dead hangs, hanging from a pull-up bar for as long as possible, or doing shoulder presses and push-ups. It is important to build strength in the arms, shoulders, and core before attempting a handstand.
Handstands are a great way to improve upper body strength, shoulder stability, and core strength. They also increase blood flow throughout the body, which can strengthen the immune system and improve cerebrovascular health. Additionally, handstands can be exciting and challenging, providing a sense of accomplishment and improved mental focus and concentration.
Handstands are not for everyone and should be approached with caution. It is important to take it slowly, warm up the wrists, shoulders, and core before starting, and learn how to get out of a handstand safely. Attempting a handstand without proper preparation can lead to injury or loss of balance.
