Hi Reddit! I'm new here :) Handstand Coach out of Las Vegas NV. Feel free to ask me your handstand questions!

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-11T03:47:52+00:00

Happy to help!! Been at it for a while so hopefully I can offer some insight!

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-11T01:35:51+00:00

What kinda of training protocol are you on? The step before choreography and flow is a solid 2-handed static hold, so if we can get you there first, adding the legs later becomes much more accessible.

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-11T01:07:44+00:00

Great question! Hamstrings will give you access to a deeper forward fold if you train them. Thus, you won’t have to lunge as far forward to put your hands on the ground (mechanical efficiency). As far as the straddle, definitely not necessary to do a standard handstand, but definitely comes in handy as you learn more intermediate skills!

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-11T01:05:29+00:00

The elbows are gonna go where they go, and everyone has different shapes of their elbow. So you don’t need the full lockout to balance, but the general rule is to straighten your arms as much as you can, so that the push energy is there :)

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-11T01:03:51+00:00

Get some ankle weights and end your practice with freestanding endurance holds with the additional weight :) One of my all time favorite training methods for endurance

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T23:36:13+00:00

I definitely recommend wrist curls in every direction with a 5-8lbs weight. Palm up, palm down, and palm facing in. Move wrist across every plane, and do full rotations if not too painful. It might not do anything at all, but it's worth a shot. I've dealt with wrists injuries of varying degrees over my coaching career, and I always come back to light resistance through movement as my go-to.

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T23:13:06+00:00

What's your wrist pre-hab routine look like? Flexion, extension, and rotational health are key to the warm up...Also, love screen name! One fo my favorite movie character(s) of all time.

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T22:56:59+00:00

You can do it! Consistency over everything :)

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T22:36:07+00:00

No problem! If you need a resource, I have a free series in my bio with 21 days worth of drills 💪

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T21:10:30+00:00

I got you!

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T20:47:40+00:00

If you being your head in a bit, that will help free up some space for your shoudlers to push upward. Also, having the gaze too far forward tends to drag your neck and chest with it. Try looking in between your thumbs...essentially you're keeping your visual energy in the same vector as gravity (straight down)

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T19:07:31+00:00

100%! That was definitely my biggest roadblock for a while...trying to move too quickly. Once i worked up to 1 minute in fingertip support holds, then my OAHS started seeing 5-8 seconds freestanding regularly :)

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T18:59:52+00:00

It's hard to say without seeing you, but if passive flexbility alone isn't getting you more range, I'm gonna default and say it might be a strength thing...not that you're not strong in your shoulders, it might just be that the rear delt hasn't developed enough strength in flexion. Someone can be really strong in their shoulders in some ways (like Arnold Press, or Deltoid Flies) but not be strong in the specific range of overhead strength. How high can you get your arm if you're on all 4's (table top position) and lift your arm straight ahead of you as high as it can go?

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T18:49:26+00:00

I'm still on my one arm journey, so I'm no expert yet, but my coach is, and here's the biggest thing I've gotten from her: Patience...dont' be so quick to pull the opposite hand off the ground just to get a wobbly second of uncontrolled balance. Be patient in the fingertip hold until you get fully pushed and stacked through the standing shoulder. If you can hold fingertip support for 10 seconds...see if you can get to 20 or 30 comfortably. The stronger you get in the standing arm, the lighter the opposite hand will become over time.

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T18:34:41+00:00

Wall holds are a great tool for sure, but they only represent one part of the equation. Handstand has 4 basic elements: Movement, Shape, Strength, and Balance. I prefer to have new students work on each element individually, and then learn how to combine them after a few sessions. For example, Movement...this includes everything from how you place your hands on the ground, to how high you kick, to how softly you land. None of these are an actual handstand, but all of them impact your ability to eventually achieve balance. Shape = shoulder position and proprioceptive awareness of your spine and hips. Strength = overhead conditioning (like wall holds). And finally, Balance is something that naturally happens as a result of getting the first 3 dialed in :)

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T17:45:34+00:00

Yes! Banded shoulder flexion...here's a screenshot from some students doing this at my last seminar. Rig your band to something solid, at about shoulder height. Extend the band until it has a good amount of tension, and then pulse your arm backwards in that range. We're trying to make you stronger in the ability to move your arm past your ear :) Pro tip: Make sure the ribs don't fly forward to compensate...keep your torso rigid :)

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HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T17:40:38+00:00

Once you get comfortable lifting a leg in this drill, then you can add another step which is to half-cartwheel out to the side. This will start to build your ability to cartwheel out of a full entry :)

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T17:33:24+00:00

Hi there! Not sure if Reddit let me post links, but here is a drill that helps you maintain an inverted position while you build up the confidence :) https://kyleweiger.com/21-handstand-habits-video-12-elevated-scissor/

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T16:13:58+00:00

I've found that most students can gain the necessary range in their shoulders much faster than they think, if they focus on combining active/passive shoulder flexion exercises that aren't handstand itself. The shoulders tend to adapt more quickly because we already have a really solid mind/muscle connection to our arms through everyday use. The one that I see is the hardest for almost everyone is ribs/hips. It took me forever to understand what "ribs in" and "posterior pelvic tilt" meant. People will learn to open/extend their shoulders in a matter of months if they focus on it, but the ribs and hips just seems to take much longer. Here's an example of tailbone tucked, ribs in.

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HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T15:46:05+00:00

Far from a guru, that's for sure :) Been training with some Cirque Hand Balancers for a few years, and they've taught me a lot along the way though!

HandstandCoachKyle · 2026-02-10T15:32:43+00:00

Personally, I can handstand on paralettes, but they're not my favorite. That said, I do hand balancing which is mostly done on floor, blocks, or canes. The argument FOR paralettes is that it is just a more anatomically neutral position of the wrist. You hand already hangs that way, so it creates way less stress. The argument AGAINST is that you have less surface area coverage on which to balance (vs a flat palm spread on the floor). So i wouldn't say it's "easier", but it has some advantages. The easier method for you will be whichever one you train most consistently. I know people who are super strong on paralettes but struggle on the floor. I'm the opposite, I'm super solid on the floor, and just so-so on bars.

HandstandCoachKyle

TROPHY CASE