Despite what Instagram may suggest, there is no doubt that doing a handstand as an adult can be an intimidating exercise. The good news is that they are fairly easy to do, and there are so many benefits in doing them — including a rock-hard core.
By Lauren Hannaford, former elite gymnast for Australia
Handstands are an exercise that is being borrowed by many fitness styles, from yoga to cross fit, and this is due to the many benefits that they provide. Not only are they fun, but they also build strength, coordination, balance, core stability and confidence! They are THE core workout because they require you to stabalise your trunk muscles in order to keep from falling over, but the benefits don’t stop there.
Handstands also work your hip flexors, hamstrings, inner thigh muscles and spinal muscles to create a balanced and super strong core. They also make you super strong because you need to hold yourself upside down for a period of time.
So how do you do a handstand? Here is some guidance to help you achieve one.
You can modify your handstand by starting with your feet resting on a wall until you feel more confident. Once you are confident, you can start doing handstand pushups, one-armed handstands and more – the possibilities are endless!
HOW TO DO A HANDSTAND
BACK TO BASICS
Let’s start with the dish. The dish is the basis of all gymnastics techniques, skills and exercises. Start by sitting up as tall as you can with your legs straight out in front of you and squeezed tight together.
Rest your palms on your knees and start to roll back as though you are going to lie down, stop once your palms are resting at the top of your thighs. Make sure your lower back is rounded and pressed into the floor. Once you are in this position you just tip both feet off the floor so that you are in a DISH shape.
Make sure that your shoulders and head stay lifted off the floor and your lower back is pressed into the floor by using your core to pull your belly button inwards. If you are feeling confident, take your arms straight back behind your head for extra resistance.
Add this into you workout by doing 3 sets of 15 second holds.
Now that you have got your shape and technique of the dish down pat, let’s put it into motion…. upside down.
HANDSTANDS
Apart from the dish shape, the key to a good handstand is the entry into it. You need to have a cool, calm and collected entry into it so you have control over your body and your strength.
Let’s slow things down a little as we step into it. Make sure you take a nice long low lunging step first of all and then reach your arms out as far as you can keeping them nice and straight with your biceps next to your ears.
By the time your hands get to the ground your back leg has levered its way almost all the way into your handstand without the other foot even being off the ground yet so all you need to do is a tiny push off the ground and join your feet together at the top.
Congratulations – You have just done your first controlled entry into a handstand. Now while you are up there press those finger tips into the floor, squeeze your core and push up tall like you are trying to shrug your shoulders.
Try 20 handstands every second day for the next 3 weeks. Start by doing them against the wall if you prefer and then move yourself away from the wall as you feel more confident.
Follow Lauren on Instagram for serious fitspiration
