Headstand Pushup

Hi I need some help, regarding HeSPU/HSPU.

I'm able to perform a headstand, by how to I push up? Is it by kicking my legs into the air to get the push up? thx.

Lean backwards until all your weight is on your hands, then push up. 

Kicking your legs makes it a 'kipping' pushup. That style of pushup should be avoided for many reasons, including:

- builds less strength

- works less ROM 

- scuttles your chances of moving on to more difficult skills

- potentially bad for your neck/spine

Joshua Slocum said:

Lean backwards until all your weight is on your hands, then push up. 

 

Kicking your legs makes it a 'kipping' pushup. That style of pushup should be avoided for many reasons, including:

- builds less strength

- works less ROM 

- scuttles your chances of moving on to more difficult skills

- potentially bad for your neck/spine

Thx for the reply and advice, I just tried it and it really felt on my lower back when I pushed off. Is it natural that my back will arch more and my legs following the arch?

That suggests you don't have the necessary strength in the shoulders and arms.  You should be able to do this without arching in a nice controlled fashion. You may need to work up to this over time.

MR. WATERMELON said:

Thx for the reply and advice, I just tried it and it really felt on my lower back when I pushed off. Is it natural that my back will arch more and my legs following the arch?

Your feet should actually go back and shoulders need to lean slightly forward. I can not imagine how anyone can doo HSPU with arched back.

Paf said:

Your feet should actually go back and shoulders need to lean slightly forward. I can not imagine how anyone can doo HSPU with arched back.

It's quite common, and symptomatic of insufficiently strong shoulders and/or triceps. The chest comes down in order to make use of the more powerful muscles there; in order to maintain balance the back must then heavily arch.

Joshua Slocum said:

It's quite common, and symptomatic of insufficiently strong shoulders and/or triceps. The chest comes down in order to make use of the more powerful muscles there; in order to maintain balance the back must then heavily arch.

Does doing negatives from handstand to headstand, help in building the strength in shoulder and triceps before I try doing the push?

Joshua Slocum said:

It's quite common, and symptomatic of insufficiently strong shoulders and/or triceps. The chest comes down in order to make use of the more powerful muscles there; in order to maintain balance the back must then heavily arch.

A question related to this, in Wall HSPU  (chest to the wall) there shouldn't be any arching of the lower back (you need posterior pelvic tilt), right? all videos I'm seeing are with arched lower back, I was also doing them wrong

MR. WATERMELON said:

Does doing negatives from handstand to headstand, help in building the strength in shoulder and triceps before I try doing the push?

Yes, absolutely. It can also help to work handstand holds for time, handstand walks, and easier pushing variations (e.g. dips, pushups, etc). 

Flavio85 said:

A question related to this, in Wall HSPU  (chest to the wall) there shouldn't be any arching of the lower back (you need posterior pelvic tilt), right? all videos I'm seeing are with arched lower back, I was also doing them wrong

Yes, this should be avoided, and you should PPT. 

Joshua Slocum said:

Yes, absolutely. It can also help to work handstand holds for time, handstand walks, and easier pushing variations (e.g. dips, pushups, etc). 

 

Yes, this should be avoided, and you should PPT. 

Alright man thx for the help, will work on it cheers