The past year I have spent numerous hours helping friends and randoms improving their handstands. Several friends benefits of my tips that I decided to make a small article. Lucky you!

I guess that you want to try, since your already reading this article. And just let me state one thing very clearly now; “No. You don’t need superhuman arm strength, nor superhuman upper body strength. You can, and soon will find out, do handstands pretty good the way you are right now”. Thank you.

Feeling comfortable upside down

This is not rocket science. Your first step is to feel comfortable. Comfortable having your head – which may be the most imported part of your body – closest to the ground, Inches away from bouncing your it into mother earth, which hurts, a lot. You’ve got trust your arms, and as I will mention several times; you don’t need superhuman strength, just remember the fact that straight arms is easier than bend arms when it comes holding your handstands.

How do you do it?

Here’s how you do it. This is a tip I give every person who want’s to try handstands: do 5 minutes daily. Admit it; You got 5 minutes spare time of your day. Use them like this: Place your hands on the floor, try small jumps leaning your weight onto your arms. Good, now one more time. Repeat until your tired and read next paragraph for your own and others safety - and please read before you fall with crushing,  deadly force on down on a  turtle, like I might did once.

Now repeat. Repeat – the boring part – and repeat yet again. This, hopefully, will trick your brain – or whatever malfunctioning part of your body that prevents you from standing upside down – to get used to the sudden change of weight balance. I’m talking about putting weight on your arms, shoulder and back instead of your thighs, legs and ankles. Remember what I’ve said; You won’t need superhuman upper body/arm strength. After awhile you will find your self getting your feet higher and higher into the air – before you fall and land hard. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you about the turtle.

Progressing

As the days progress you eventually, one day or some day,  hit a breakthrough and use a whole second balancing on your own hands with your feet into the air. That’s before gravity remembers your there and pulls you back down. When you find yourself - in your repetitive and boring part of constantly doing the small jumps I explained earlier – getting your feet completely of the ground, and you actually balance your body weight with your back and arms, and can do this a couple of times. Then I will be the first voice popping in your head saying; “Congratulations, you now have the ability to do handstands” in a dialect most Norwegian practice English – The Petter Solberg way.

Getting comfortable? Good. It may take a few days – weeks. But you will get there!
I forgot to mention. If you are afraid to fall, or find yourself a lot indoors, use walls or other obstacles to lean on. But don’t forget to practice free hand. Since you one day still want to do it off wall – clearly I’m a living proof of that.

Short summary:

- Hands on floor, do small jumps and try to get your feet off ground.
- Arms straight, try not to bend.
- Try to think of your body as a confused plank trying to confuse gravity and pointing out that planks can, and someday will stand perfectly vertical without falling. Of course – free hand.

I hope this somewhat helps.

Happy Handstand!
Tor