Which Way To Face For Wall Hspus?

[Colin Macdonald]

Is there a 'best' way to face for wall supported HSPUs? I understand that static HS are best done with the stomach to the wall, but is the same true of the HSPU? Normally I do them back to the wall, but I was playing around trying them with my stomach to the wall and they seemed much easier, though it can be difficult getting too close to the wall since there's less room for my elbows to bend if I'm right up next to it. Does it matter or is is just preference?

[Rik de Kort]

Chest to wall since, with freestanding HSPU, your shoulders have to come in front of your hands to keep your body in balance. And you can't really do that properly back to wall without losing positioning.

[Colin Macdonald]

Thanks for the reply. With that in mind, I assume that I'll need to keep my hands further from the wall for HSPUs than with static holds, correct? Doing static holds with the wall handstand I can move my hands right up close to the wall fairly easily (maybe 4 inches), but I can't do a HSPU in that position without falling over. I've watched some people who seem quite proficient in these moves (though maybe it's just my untrained eye) and they break perpendicular when doing freestanding HSPUs. Their feet go back as their shoulders move forward. To me this would suggest that my hands would need to be further forward to simulate this movement. Is that correct or is it just a mobility/strength issue on my part?

[Rik de Kort]

Breaking the perpendicular angle with the ground is appropriate. As for your actual question, I'm not sure.

[Joshua Slocum]

For headstand pushups with chest against the wall, your hands will need to be a few inches away to make room for your elbows as they bend. If you are doing full ROM handstand pushups, you may need to move even further away from the wall, as during the bottom of the movement, the body will have rotated slightly, bringing the feet towards the wall. 

[Colin Macdonald]

Thanks for the info!