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Handstands require multiple muscle groups to work together to maintain balance and stability. The core, shoulders, arms, back, and chest muscles are all engaged during a handstand. The wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints are crucial for balancing the body's weight, and the core provides stability and control through the torso. Various exercises can help prepare the body for a handstand, including weight-bearing exercises, downward dog, and hand heel raises. Strengthening these muscle groups is essential for performing handstands safely and accurately.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle groups | Core, shoulders, arms, back, chest, forearm, wrist, elbow, hip flexors, inner thigh, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, biceps, triceps, deltoids, serratus anterior, trapezius, abdominal muscles, obliques, lower back muscles, rhomboids, rotator cuff |
| Muscle functions | Balance, stability, support, strength, endurance, blood flow, spinal alignment, body awareness, control, coordination |
| Training exercises | Downward dog, hand heel raise, push-ups, handstand push-ups, bench press, overhead shoulder mobility, hollow body hold, leg raises, squats, lunges, bicep curls, triceps extension, shoulder overhead press, pike push-ups |
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What You'll Learn
Wrist mobility and strength
To prepare the wrists for handstands, it is important to focus on exercises that target wrist mobility and strength specifically. One such exercise is the Hand Heel Raise, which simulates the placement of the hands during a handstand. During this exercise, the heel of the hands is raised up and down, with the load placed on the first knuckle joint of the hands. This exercise is similar to a Calf exercise, but for the hands.
Additionally, it is important to prepare the elbows for handstands as they also support the entire body weight. Weak triceps or inadequate elbow extension can hinder one's ability to maintain a handstand. To address this, placing the hands on a cushioned surface during exercises can reduce muscle strain, and using a mirror can improve body awareness.
Overall, preparing the wrists and elbows through targeted exercises is key to building the strength and mobility needed for handstands.
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Elbow joint stability
Stability in the wrists and elbows is essential as they support the entire body weight. To prepare the elbows for handstands, it is important to work on flexibility and strength. This can be done through preparatory exercises that focus on improving the range of motion in the shoulders and elbows. For example, standard push-ups and push-up variations can help build strength in the shoulders, chest, and triceps. Pike and Hindu push-ups approximate the positioning of the body during an elbow stand. Holding handstands against a wall will also help build strength in the arms and shoulders.
To create arm stability, it is important to stabilize the wrists, hands, fingers, and elbows. This can be done by pressing the fingers into the floor and squeezing the elbows. This technique can be practised in downward dog with knees on the floor, and then with knees straight. It can also be practised with elbows straight in cat pose and then with knees lifted to add more weight.
It is also important to be aware of the elbow's carrying angle, which is the angle of the forearm relative to the upper arm. This can be checked by letting your arm hang down by your side, then rotating the forearm so the palm faces forwards without moving the arm or shoulder. There will generally be a small angle, but some people have a larger carrying angle, known as cubital valgus. This can lead to a visually different lower line in a handstand, but it can also make it easier to learn the press to handstand and achieve aesthetically striking Mexican handstands.
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Shoulder flexion
A common problem for adults learning to handstand is a lack of shoulder flexion. They lack the strength and/or flexibility to open the shoulder angle to 180 degrees of shoulder flexion. This can be overcome with strength and flexibility training.
It is important to incorporate flexion work into your training, but not at the expense of your main handstand work. Balance is the priority.
You can add exercises to your warm-up routine to improve shoulder flexion, such as 2-3 rounds of 45-60 seconds in the butcher's block, which stretches the lats, triceps, and teres major muscles.
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Core strength
Plank and navasana (boat pose) are also effective in building core strength. These poses help cultivate the mental strength needed to fall and get back up, an important aspect of learning handstands. Regular core workouts significantly aid handstand training and help maintain a straight body line.
In addition to core strength, shoulder strength and flexibility are vital. The shoulders must be able to support the body's weight and move through a full range of motion. Preparatory exercises that focus on improving shoulder flexion can help prevent excessive arching of the lower back and cervical spine.
A strong back is also beneficial for handstands. Well-developed posterior musculature allows for better control when pulling the shoulders over the hands and hips over the shoulders. This control helps reduce the reliance on the jump, making it easier to attain a handstand.
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Hip flexors and inner thigh muscles
While performing a handstand, the legs don't bear weight, but the muscles in the lower body, especially the hip flexors and inner thigh muscles, are crucial for maintaining proper alignment and balance.
Tight hip flexors can hinder your ability to achieve a straight line in a handstand, so it's important to focus on flexibility. Leg raises are an excellent exercise to target the hip flexors and lower abs. Begin by hanging from a bar and lifting your legs to a 90-degree angle.
Additionally, strengthening the inner thigh muscles is essential for keeping the legs together and straight during a handstand. Exercises such as squats and lunges are beneficial for enhancing overall leg strength and improving balance.
To prepare for a handstand, it's crucial to train your wrist and forearm muscles. The Hand Heel Raise exercise simulates the position of your hands during a handstand, helping to activate the correct muscles. It's important to focus on wrist mobility and strength to ensure flexibility and prevent injuries.
Overall, achieving a handstand requires the coordination and contraction of multiple muscle groups, including the core, shoulders, arms, back, and chest.
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Frequently asked questions
Handstands work your upper-body muscles, including your triceps, shoulders, traps, lats, core, and glutes.
You can build strength for a handstand by doing preparatory exercises that focus on improving shoulder flexion and dorsiflexion range of motion. This includes exercises like dead hangs, plank, hollow body holds, and leg raises.
The best way to practice handstands is to start with wall-supported handstands and handstand push-ups against the wall. You can also try the press handstand, where you kick one foot off the ground and against the wall, and then do the same with the other foot.
Handstands can help improve blood circulation and oxygenation throughout the body, promoting overall health and well-being. Handstands also relieve pressure on the spine, providing a decompressing effect that can ease disc or joint pain and reduce muscle spasms in the back.
