Technique
- There are multiple ways to get into balancing upside-down: you can balance off the wall, you can jump straight into it, you can press into it from the ground, or you can split your legs. That last one is generally easier. To do that, place your hands on the ground, lift one leg up, and jump off the other one, then slowly bring the legs together at the top.
- To be able to balance, you will need to dig your fingertips into the ground, so that your center of mass is on a line somewhere between your wrists and your fingertips.
- This exercise is a valid progression towards the straight-body Handstand. Contrary to some beliefs, it is not bad for your back, because there is no load placed on it.
Muscles
Strength
Primary
- Neck
- Back
- Shoulders
- Serratus anterior
Secondary
- Chest
- Forearms
Individual muscles
Individual muscles
- Upper trapezius
- Levator scapulae
- Lower trapezius
- Serratus anterior
- Posterior deltoid
Equipment
Appears in
Balance
Joint movements
Progressions

Handstand
Advanced
View Similar Exercises
View Similar Exercises

Narrow handstand
Advanced

Wall L-handstand
Intermediate

Split legs handstand
Advanced

Shoulder-Pressing Pose with heel hook
Intermediate

Shoulder-Pressing Pose head to ground
Advanced
Want to log this exercise? Open it in Calistree. Text and images are used under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0; the video plays from the original source.
