Get Your First Handstand
Why This Lesson Matters
Your shoulders are the foundation of your handstand. If they’re weak or out of position, the whole structure crumbles. To stack your body in a straight line, you need to learn how to elevate and engage the shoulders.
The Shoulder Problem
Shoulders naturally move only ~120°.
A straight-line handstand needs ~180°.
That missing range comes from elevating your shoulders up to your ears and unlocking the scapula.
Drill 1 – Overhead Reach (Standing)
Stand tall, arms overhead.
Push hands toward the ceiling, shoulders rising to cover your ears.
Wrap your shoulders forward and pull shoulder blades slightly back.
👉 Feel your arms slotting into a straight line over hips.
Drill 2 – Banded Overhead Press
Hold a resistance band overhead.
Pull it tight against your body, arms locked.
Drive shoulders up to ears, keeping core engaged.
👉 This simulates the stacked overhead tension you’ll need upside down.
Keys to Success
Always think: “Cover my ears with my shoulders.”
Stability comes from pressing the floor away, not shrugging lazily.
Strong traps = safer balance + less strain on wrists.
Mini Reflection
👉 When you raise your arms overhead, do your ears disappear under your shoulders — or stay exposed? That’s your first checkpoint.
Pro Tip
Don’t just hold — actively push. Imagine you’re trying to push the ceiling away. That pressure is the same feeling you’ll need against the floor in a handstand.