How to do a Handstand Hold
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Handstand Hold
Instructions for Proper Form
Handstand Hold is an isometric movement (the muscle is under tension, but not moving) that primarily targets your shoulders. This is a great exercise for building strength and stability in your shoulders, as well as your sense of balance and coordination in a position that you likely won’t experience often.
- Stand upright facing a wall that will assist you with balance. Extend your arms and place your hands just outside shoulder width apart a foot away from the wall and kick your legs up catching yourself by placing your feet against the wall. Straighten your arms, torso, and legs and hold for an allotted time.
Common Form Mistakes
Getting Comfortable Upside Down
It can be very difficult to get comfortable being upside down. This usually results in you keeping your bodyweight too far forward. Start by placing your weight against a wall. Shift your weight away from the wall until you find the point where you can balance.
Elbows Slightly Bent
Keep your elbows slightly bent during this exercise. Locking your elbows out can make this exercise slightly easier, but it places more strain on your joints.
Alternatives & Variations to Handstand Hold
1. Pike Push Up
59.8 mSCORESWAPPED 3,940 TIMESPike Push Up is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. It's a more advanced variation of a standard Push Up, with the added difficulty of having your hips raised high in the air, mimicking a handstand push-up position. This position shifts more of the load onto your shoulders, making it an excellent exercise for developing shoulder strength and stability.
- Intermediate
- Shoulders
2. Dumbbell Front Raise
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 3,405 TIMESDumbbell Front Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise, and can work well to isolate the shoulders to build strength and muscle mass. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
3. Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
94.7 mSCORESWAPPED 3,082 TIMESDumbbell Rear Delt Raise is a variation of Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to other shoulder raises, this is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. By hinging your hips back, and leaning forward slightly, you can further emphasize your rear deltoids (back of the shoulder).
4. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
86 mSCORESWAPPED 2,870 TIMESStanding Dumbbell Shoulder Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Like other Shoulder Press variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By using dumbbells, you add more instability to the movement which can help recruit smaller stabilizing muscles around your shoulder. In addition, by performing this exercise while standing you add even more instability.
5. Arnold Dumbbell Press
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 2,612 TIMESArnold Dumbbell Press is a compound movement that primarily targets the shoulders. The difference between the Arnold Press and a standard Shoulder Press is that you bring the dumbbells in front of you at the bottom of the movement rather than stopping when they reach your shoulders. Bringing the dumbbells in front of you can be more a comfortable movement as well as improve muscle activation.
6. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
99.5 mSCORESWAPPED 2,286 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for slightly more instability than with equipment like barbells. This can help you recruit and develop stabilizing muscles around the shoulders. In addition, by using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
7. Dumbbell Shoulder Raise
97.8 mSCORESWAPPED 2,214 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise and can work well for building muscle mass and strengthening the shoulders. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
8. Dumbbell Back Fly
93.6 mSCORESWAPPED 2,035 TIMESDumbbell Back Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your shoulder, more specifically your posterior deltoid (back of the shoulder). It’s most closely related to a shoulder raise, with the main difference being that you’re leaning forward into an incline bench. This position allows you to better isolate the back of your shoulder. In addition, the incline bench adds more stability than some other variations.
9. Iron Cross
80.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,994 TIMESIron Cross is a compound movement that combines multiple movements together, and targets a wide variety of different muscle groups. Keeping your arms extended and parallel to the floor helps to keep your shoulders engaged throughout the movement. Adding this movement to a squat helps to recruit more muscles than performing similar exercises in isolation.
10. Cable Lateral Raise
97.7 mSCORESWAPPED 1,973 TIMESCable Lateral Raise is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to the Dumbbell Shoulder Raise, this isolation exercise primarily targets the shoulders, and more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). By using a cable machine, you have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from, and can easily make adjustments. In addition, by isolating each side of the body, you can more easily identify and address strength imbalances between sides.