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Handstand a go-go!!
Balancing your entire body on only your two hands carries impressive benefits!
It’s a strength-training exercise, so it’s good for both muscle mass and bone density; it strengthens your shoulders, arms, abdominal and gluteal muscles and helps with your balance, plus it’s great for the mood – achieving a new goal makes us feel great!
- Face away from a wall, place your hands on the floor in front of you, then walk your bare feet up the wall, legs bent and go only as far as it feels safe. Once confident, walk up and down the wall for a core and shoulder workout!
- Next facing the wall, place your hands on the floor, around eight inches away from it, palms facing forwards, fingers spread and finger pads pressing down. Lift one leg and extend it right behind you, hips level, then hop up with the other, playing with the force you need to get upside down. You’ll start to feel your body weight on your hands.
- Practise with little hops until you can comfortably kick both legs up with your feet on the wall and hold that position for one minute. Don’t let your shoulders scrunch up to your ears – lengthen your arms and lift and engage your abdomen, knitting your lower ribs towards one another.
- Eventually, when you’re feeling strong and brave enough, you can keep your core tight and your back muscles engaged as you gently remove one foot away from the wall, maintaining your balance. Hold for two seconds, then place it back – do this five times on each leg.
- Once you’re really confident, you can hop into a handstand on the wall, core engaged, pushing the floor away, drawing your belly button to your spine and tucking in your glutes. Look between your hands, working towards tucking your head under. Point your toes and spread your fingers. Ideally, get a friend to guide your feet and straighten your legs – and eventually, you won’t need the wall!