The Perfect HeSPU

Hey Everyone. I know this topic has been discussed before, but I am not getting the exact answer i am looking for. I can perform a 5x5r of negative headstand push ups freestanding, and am going for a 5x5r free HeSPU. Can someone answer these questions:

1. Do you have to start from the bottom position, so in a headstand you push up to a handstand, and then back down to a headstand?

2. Do you rest a second in the headstand position between reps before pushing back up, or just barely touch?

3. This progression seems to be a bit of a stretch from the negative HeSPU, and I wonder if it must be done freestanding to be mastered? I can do a 5x5r against a wall no problem.

Thank you guys in advanced!!!

Must be freestanding, yes. This is the exact point from which a correct handstand is necessary. You would certainly do yourself a favor by building the full hspu freestanding too; whilst it is not minimally necessary there isn't going to be a free hbp without a hs, and besides free hspu are awesome

As for the rest, start from a solid handstand, descend and push up for one rep.

Going down to a headstand to catch your balance is acceptable, but don't make this excessive  obviously you won't be able to do once you start elevating it, and a pause in a shoulderstand is acceptable there. Keeping it brief here will help you maintain tension in your arms

And be SURE to keep the elbows in! In the beginning I did the mistake of having the elbows flair out. This will ( at least in my case) lead to injury.

6 hours ago, Jon Douglas said:

Must be freestanding, yes. This is the exact point from which a correct handstand is necessary. You would certainly do yourself a favor by building the full hspu freestanding too; whilst it is not minimally necessary there isn't going to be a free hbp without a hs, and besides free hspu are awesome

As for the rest, start from a solid handstand, descend and push up for one rep.

Going down to a headstand to catch your balance is acceptable, but don't make this excessive  obviously you won't be able to do once you start elevating it, and a pause in a shoulderstand is acceptable there. Keeping it brief here will help you maintain tension in your arms

Hi Jon

About the HSPU, would you recommend building it up after mastering the HeSPU, in parallel with the rest of the HBP's?

9 hours ago, Mikkel Ravn said:

Hi Jon

About the HSPU, would you recommend building it up after mastering the HeSPU, in parallel with the rest of the HBP's?

Absolutely I would! Volume freestandin hespu, and when viable regular warmup hspu. Freestanding is far and away superior.

The point for me is to remember that a hbp is a press to handstand (bent arm/straight body). So having a hs to press to is obviously mandatory. So time invested at hespu ' hspu level is not just pressing strength- there really can't be hbp without hspu, and since when could hbp be done against the wall? it's got to happen sometime, and hspu is so productive that to me its the perfect time to spend putting it together 

8 hours ago, Jon Douglas said:

Absolutely I would! Volume freestandin hespu, and when viable regular warmup hspu. Freestanding is far and away superior.

The point for mAbsole is to remember that a hbp is a press to handstand (bent arm/straight body). So having a hs to press to is obviously mandatory. So time invested at hespu ' hspu level is not just pressing strength- there really can't be hbp without hspu, and since when could hbp be done against the wall? it's got to happen sometime, and hspu is so productive that to me its the perfect time to spend putting it together 

Agreed - It makes me wonder, though, why HSPU is not officially programmed into F3 at some stage?

19 minutes ago, Mikkel Ravn said:

Agreed - It makes me wonder, though, why HSPU is not officially programmed into F3 at some stage?

I can hazard a guess but Coach knows what he's doing. H1 is a pre req for F4. Add a H1-mastery quality hs to easy wall HSPU and the other pressing in F3; free hspu should be very trainable if not do -able straight up.

Anyway free hspu are sweet