BUILD A BETTER HANDSTAND DRILLS
Susan Bishop Yoga
Why Handstand? Why not?!! Handstands build confidence, strength, balance, and bone density. Handstands are empowering, they boost your mood and they are FUN! I truly believe everyone can learn to handstand. I learned to Handstand at 50 years old and I’m not an acrobat, gymnast or childhood tumbler. If I can do it, you can too!
Remember:
The time it takes you to handstand does not in any way determine anything about your worth as a person
Practice and progress will come
Train smarter, not harder
It’s YOUR unique journey, so settle in and enjoy the process
Master the little things and Build a Better Handstand
DAY 1 - HAND/WRIST/FOREARM:
WARM UP: 2 sets 30 sec – every day
HOOK FIST
BLINKERS
FIST PUMP
STARFISH
WRIST Flexion and Extension
WRIST STRENGTH: 3 times a week w/weights optional- 20 reps x 3 sets
WRIST REVERSE CURL
WRIST CURL
WRIST ROTATIONS
LATERAL WRIST EXTENSION
FINGER CURL
HANDS:
GRIP
ALIGNMENT
PLACEMENT
WRIST STRETCHES:
TT WRIST STRETCH- all directions and back of hands
HEEL OF HAND LIFT
BACK OF HAND
LATERAL WRIST ROLLS
ARMS:
EXTERNAL ROTATION
GAZE
HYPER MOBILE ELBOWS?
BREATH LINKED TO MOVEMENT
PIKE UPS (floor/link breath)
BLOCK DRILL (w/scapular elevation)
WALL HOLDS – 3 sets - timed
DAY 2 - SHOULDERS
FLOSSING
PASSIVE STRETCH with weight/over blocks
PUPPY (Active v. Passive) – 2-3 blocks
STRAP PULSES
CACTUS DRILL
SCAPULAR PUSHUPS TABLETOP/PLANK
DOLPHIN PUSHUPS
FOREARM PLANK ROCKERS
SCAPULAR LEAN
PIKE UPS (add chair/shoulders)
SHOULDER SHRUGS (weighted -pike/chair/L/wall)
WALL HOLDS – 3 sets - timed
DAY 3 – CORE, GLUTES, HOW TO FALL
HOLLOWBODY Hold
HOLLOWBODY FLOATS
SEATED STRADDLE SLIDES (work the push and then hold/repeat)
BRIDGE weight optional
HIP THRUST weight optional
WARRIOR III Hands to wall (lift and lower leg – glute fires)
PIKE-UPS – CHAIR (from plank + optional leg lift)
CARTWHEEL – how to
BACK to WALL (scissor kick up) – how to
WALL HOLDS – 3 sets - timed
DAY 4 – CORE, HIPS, SCISSOR KICK
HOLLOWBODY (scissor legs) 20 reps x 3sets
HIP FLEXORS – (standing – lift and lower leg)
PIKE SLIDERS (10 sliders x 3 sets)
SCISSOR (wall/freestanding) - ENTRY reps - 5 each side 3 sets
SWITCH HOPS (10 Hops x 3 sets)
WALL HOLDS – 3 sets - timed
DAY 5 – MORE CORE, ENDURANCE, REFINE ENTRIES
HOLLOWBODY (scissor legs)
FOOT ACTIVATION DRILL
HIP FLEXOR – over blocks (3 sets)
L-SITS (hold + add sliders – 3 sets)
PIKE UP – (add leg lift and lower chair/wall)
FLOATING – intro float forward
ALTERNATE ENTRIES (Scissor, Straddle, Tuck)
WALL HOLDS – 3 sets - timed