Handstand push-ups are a great shoulder-strengthening exercise. Regular push-ups work your shoulders as well, but they use the pec muscles of your chest more. Handstand push-ups are done in a vertical position, requiring your arms and shoulders to lower and raise your entire body. Traditional push-ups are done horizontally with your arms placed under your chest and your body supported on your hands and toes so your chest does most of the work, although you do not have to lift your entire body weight. Shoulder exercises, such as barbell presses, will make you stronger and better able to do handstand push-ups, as well chest and triceps exercises.
Barbell Presses
Step 1
Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart to provide a solid base. Hold a barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows and hold the bar in front of your chest with your palms facing forward.
Step 2
Press your arms straight up over your head and exhale. Keep your body steady as you press the barbell up. Squeeze your abs to help stabilize your torso.
Step 3
Lower the bar back in front of your chest and inhale to complete one rep. Four reps with enough weight to tire your shoulders on the last rep is best for making your shoulders stronger, according to "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual." Stay in this range if you are trying to improve your ability to do a small number of handstand push-ups correctly. Do 15 to 20 reps to increase your endurance and make it easier to do multiple handstand push-ups.
Push-Ups
Step 1
Kneel on the floor with your arms straight and your palms facing the floor below your shoulders to do regular push-ups. Step your legs straight back behind you and get onto your toes. Adjust the height of your hips so they line up with your shoulders. Look down at the floor.
Step 2
Bring your chest to within 3 inches from the floor by bending your arms. Keep your back flat, and do not jut your chin forward to get closer to the ground. Your elbows should move away from your body and out to the sides. Inhale as you lower yourself.
Step 3
Push yourself back up off the floor with an exhale. Return all the way up to your starting position. Use the same rep range as you did for the barbell presses.
Dips
Step 1
Perform dips to target your triceps and shoulders without having to lift all of your body weight, like handstand push-ups require. Sit in the middle of an exercise bench the long way with your feet on the floor in front of you. Place your hands on the bench next to your buttocks with your fingers pointing forward.
Step 2
Lift your torso into the air and bring it in front of the bench with your arms straight and your feet still on the floor.
Step 3
Bend your elbows and dip down toward the floor as you inhale. Keep your elbows close to your sides and pointing behind you.
Step 4
Straighten your arms and lift back up to finish one dip. Exhale as you lift yourself up.
Tips and Warnings
- Doing these exercises three times a week will increase your strength in these key body parts so that you can do more handstand push-ups and with better form, according to "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual." Simply holding yourself in a handstand in the air or against a wall will also increase your balance and endurance.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Exercise bench
References
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual;" Micheal Clark, Scott Lucett, Rodney Corn; 2008
- EXRX: Barbell Military Press
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