If you want to maximize your performance with handstand pushups, walking, and other variations, it is crucial that you have great handstand mobility to get into optimal positions. Many athletes lack the necessary mobility, and as a result, their performance is hindered.
Here’s what you can do to get better…
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The following are my favorite handstand MOBILITY drills to improve an athlete’s positioning in the handstand.
For more help improving your mobility, access our FREE mobility checklist!
Handstand Mobility Exercises
Wrist Extension Mobilization
My friend Dave Tilley of thehybridperspective.com wrote a great article addressing wrist pain in the gymnastics athlete. In this article, he shared a great wrist extension mobilization. This band mobilization will work both joint and muscular restrictions to having full wrist extension to help with handstand mobility.
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Hip Extension Stretching
I like the dynamic couch stretch to not only work on stretching the front side of the hip out but on working on controlling positioning. Adding the movement makes the control of the pelvis and low back just a bit harder.
Shoulder and Thoracic Spine Mobility Combo
Awesome drill to improve your overhead movement for improved handstand mobility. Get a foam roller perpendicular to your spine and lift your hips. Grab a weight overhead, then slowly lower your hips. This will hit your shoulders as well as the thoracic spine. I typically have athletes work 3-4 different areas in their upper back doing x10 reps in each spot.
Z-Press
A great follow up to the thoracic spine stretching we did above is a Z-Press to work on getting stronger in the upper back and shoulders. The Z-Press specifically challenges an athlete’s ability to stay upright in a fully opened posture.
Box Handstand
This is a great movement to actively open the shoulders up and work them through their full available range of motion to improve handstand mobility with the added benefit of working strength and stability in a handstand regression.
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There are lots of other handstand mobility drills you can use, but the above tend to get the job done rapidly. For help developing your gymnastics skills, check out the various handstand programs we offer inside of Performance Plus Programming:
