1. Handstands make you fucking happy. #handstandsmakemehappy Like so freaking giggly + happy. As if for that brief moment, I’m a kid again. It turns out it’s not just me who feels this way, any client or friend I have ever had handstand is instantly happier than they were before!
2. Handstands are a rewarding challenge. Most people think they can’t do them, but with some practice they see that they too are totally capable. It is this surge of self-belief that makes going upside down so worthwhile. Handstands are a powerful tool to build confidence quickly… with daily practice you can get leaps and bounds better, faster. They are also a great reminder that the best parts of life are the journeys and not the destinations.
3. Handstands make you stronger. They are a total body exercise that forces you to recruit all of your muscles at once. They translate over to bodyweight exercises such as pushups + chin-ups, as well as traditional big lifts like the bench and deadlift. Doing handstands helps strengthen the upper body + core and increases your balance + proprioception. They also strengthen a problem area I see with anyone who sits at a desk: the wrists. Weight bearing on the wrists increases bone density throughout the upper body!
4. Handstands make you smarter… by increasing proprioception and taking body awareness to an entirely new level. They literally flip your whole world upside down rewarding you with a new perspective. Blood rushes to the brain leaving you mentally invigorated, much like a cup of coffee.
5. Handstands are safe to practice daily. Unlike many exercises found in the strength training world, handstands are a total body exercise that CAN and SHOULD be performed daily. The variations abound and since they can be performed everyday without overtraining you get better at an astounding rate!
Here are a few exercises you can get started on NOW to help establish a great handstand! They are in order from most basic to most difficult so give them a shot!
