Ask Forum: How long can you hold a Wall handstand

After seeing the Chinese Olympic team doing 40 min non stop wall handstand I would like to know how are we doing around here.

Right now I am at 1´40" which is not crazy :oops: . I think I can get to two minutes if I try again but no more than that.

So how long can you hold your wall handstand?

I did 2:15 a couple months ago, and think I could have stayed a bit longer but my youngest daughter kept grabbing my legs...

I used to do 5 sets of 60s a couple times a week, but then I got onto the WOD schedule and stopped doing specific hold training like that. However, the last time I tried I could only do 1:30 or so. Basically, I put at least 45s onto the hold time without specifically training the hold, based on overall strength gains.

Now, if only I could stay up for more than 5s off the wall...

David

Are we talking stomach to wall or back to wall? I notice the Chinese athletes were doing back to wall...but that was with a weight around his waist :twisted:

wow yep I forgot that!, Let´s say maximum wall handstand whichever it is. I don´t think I´ll do much less facing to the wall, maybe a bit more demanding for the shoulders, what do you think?.

I've just tested and it is an embarrassing 42 seconds :oops: I really really need to work on this.

As a side note I think perhaps my hands are too close to the wall for my shoulder flexibility and so I'm having to fight to keep pressed against the wall...either that or I am an awful lot weaker than I thought I don't want to make excuses.

@Omegant, I think stomach to wall is harder personally but that might be due to the above mentioned issue I cant be sure.

Stomach to wall i had my wife time me and i did 60s, then came back down. I was pretty tried but i think maybe i could have held out another ten seconds

Try both then! (one today the other one tomorrow maybe), remember to warm up a bit!

P.D. I´ll try facing to the wall tomorrow...

I'll try back to wall tomorrow after a warm up and see how I do at that.

If the time is drastically better than stomach to wall I'll post a stomach to wall video in Digital Coaching and see if there is something that I'm doing wrong. But i suspect I just need to work on it more. The simplest answer is often the right one

Test my back to wall HS today and I managed 1 minute but that is my absolute maximum hold. I found it easier to hold the HS back to wall but I think that is to do with not having to/being able to stay hollow.

Well gentlemen, there is my attempt. Lets see everyone else's

I am even weaker than you Finnbar.

I can do HS (stomach to the wall) for 30 seconds or so.

I think back to the wall allows you to arch your body and release pressure on the shoulders so it´s easier (40-45 sec)

Unfortunately i warmed up a little too much. So i was kinda tired when i did them. Nothing special, but my stomach to wall hold was 51s and my back to wall hold was 30s. Back to wall would have been longer but i did not take a break between the two exe4rcises

I did 2x2 minutes with 5kg belt yesterday, in perfect bodyline / shoulders opened, of course.

Otherwise, If I wouldn't do endurance holds as finisher, I think I would be able of maybe 4-5 minute hold, I can pull out few 3 minute holds after HSPU Ladders.

2 minutes with 10 kg without problem, i'm increasing the max hold by 15 sec at months...i was surprised the first time i did it, i wasn't doing handstand to the wall since 2-3 months for a wrist misscomfort and i did only handstand on rings with some overweigth...for my experience increase rings hs max hold (correct) increase your endurance in wall hs, also decrease the distance from the wall now i am at 1.8-2 cm from the wall..

a little under 5min with alternating left and right (probably 10sec then switch)... when I'm fresh :-)

spending an extended amount time on my hands against the wall is slowly becoming part of my training norm. Right now, I just set a stop watch and spend a total of 10min on my hands. Ideally it will be in 1-2 turns but at the moment it takes about 4 turns.

I noticed that performing XR handstands( I need some one to hold the rings while I jump up) greatly increases HS capabilities both strenght and equilibrium.

I just checked wall HS facing the wall. Just the same 1'40" as back against the wall. I still think that my back to the wall times should be a bit higher. Mostly due to the less time required to be in possition and that you can fall down more easily( so I risk a bit more).

There are missing lots of times here... Where is everybody hiding... 8)

omegant said:

There are missing lots of times here... Where is everybody hiding... 8)

Well said Omegant, lets get some more times and names in here!

I could hold it for 58 seconds. I remember being able to do a handstand for a minute earlier this year, but it was with a horrible arch. 58 seconds with almost open shoulders is far more intense. Strangely enough my forearms were most fired after this; maybe it was because I nowadays use curled fingers in teh HS.

One (stupid?) question about open shoulders

Is it possible to know whether you are keeping your shoulders open while in HS position wihouth filming yourself?

Yes. If your shoulders are more or less closed around your ears while your are in the handstand then you know your shoulders are open enough. If your shoudlers are not pressed against your ears then you do no thave open shoulders

Try laying on the ground flat (facing down) as if you would be doing a handstand( horizontally). That is the correct form and the one you are looking for when you perform wall handstands (facing the wall).

omegant said:

Try laying on the ground flat (facing down) as if you would be doing a handstand( horizontally). That is the correct form and the one you are looking for when you perform wall handstands (facing the wall).

OH YEs this also reminded me of hollow holds, they help as well. but a great way to do it so to do a Handstabnd stomach to wall and if your hands are an inch from the wall and there is no part of your body except your toes toching the wall, then you have open shoulders. That is what you wanna strive for

I did 33s today. How's that? It was at the end of a BW sort of metabolic strength circuit. It's been about 2 months since I've really tried.

IJL said:

omegant said:

OH YEs this also reminded me of hollow holds, they help as well. but a great way to do it so to do a Handstabnd stomach to wall and if your hands are an inch from the wall and there is no part of your body except your toes toching the wall, then you have open shoulders. That is what you wanna strive for

When I do it, I ´don´t touch my ears with my forearms, but I only touch the wall with the stomach and/or the toes. Is it correct then?

you will want to mkae it so not even you stomach is touching the wall, and push as high as you can until your shoulders are closed around your ears