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Kipping Handstand Push Up being performed with proper form
Kipping Handstand Push Up demonstration video — proper form for the full movement.

How to do a Kipping Handstand Push Up

Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

About this exercise

Sets Logged
33,979
Popularity Rank
918th
Difficulty
Advanced
Shoulders Strength
68 mSCORE 93rd
Equipment Required
Bodyweight-only

Workouts with Kipping Handstand Push Up

    Target muscles worked

    Primary Muscles
    Shoulders
    Secondary Muscles
    Triceps

    Instructions for Proper Form

    Kipping Handstand Push Up is a variation of Handstand Push Up. Similar to Handstand Push Up, this is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By adding a kick with your legs, you can make this exercise easier by using the force and momentum in your legs to help you perform the exercise.

    1. Begin by placing your hands just outside of shoulder-width apart about a foot away from a wall.
    2. Your hips should be in a flexed position as you flex and extend your knees to jump your feet up overhead to place your heels against the wall.
    3. As you flex your elbows to lower your head towards to the ground, simultaneously bend your knees down towards your chest.
    4. Be sure to avoid any flexion or extension of the neck and keep your movement controlled.
    5. After you have lowered to just above the floor, explosively extend legs overhead while extending your elbows to return to the starting position.

    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.

    Sets & Reps Calculator

    Average Kipping Handstand Push Up standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height

    Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.

    • beginner
      3
      sets
      8
      reps
      1 Set Max
      9
      reps
    • intermediate
      4
      sets
      8
      reps
      10
      reps
    • advanced
      4
      sets
      9
      reps
      11
      reps

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    Alternatives & Variations to Kipping Handstand Push Up

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      Dumbbell 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.

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      Cable 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.

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