I Did Handstand Push-Ups Every Day For A Month — What I Observed

Push-ups are a huge part of my routine. I’ve tried many different variations in previous challenges. While I’ve found each one hard, I’ve managed to complete them and see some awesome benefits along the way. 

As I’ve mentioned before, my chest is pretty big but my arms and shoulders are lagging. Because of this, I’ve wanted to work on my shoulders using an accessible movement that I can do when traveling. Introducing the handstand push-up!

I’ve enjoyed doing them occasionally but never properly used them in a routine. Even though I would say I’m at an intermediate level, I still find them hard. Because of this, I’ll use the wall for assistance.

My aim for this challenge is to perform three sets of 10 repetitions every day. I’ll space them throughout the day if possible to reduce the chances of fatigue. Let’s see how I get on! Here are my handstand push-up benefits after a month.

Doing Handstand Push-Ups Every Day For A Month — My Experience 

Below are my thoughts and feelings throughout the challenge to give you a better idea of what you might experience. 

Week 1

The aim of this week is to get used to the general technique. While it’s quite a simple movement pattern, it requires a lot of strength, balance, and coordination. I’m performing them daily, so the main consideration is finding a suitable wall. As I’m traveling around, I should have no problem with this. 

Let’s start with three sets of five reps until I’m really confident I can use the correct technique. I think this should be the right training volume to start. Speaking of volume, if you’re wondering how many push-ups should I be able to do, check out this article. 

After a few days, I’m definitely getting used to the general movement. The main thing I’m struggling with is finding the right starting point to kick up to the wall. I reckon I’ll have this down once I get to the end of the week. 

Even at five reps, I’m surprised at how much they work my shoulders. What a great upper-body movement with an added core challenge! 

Week 2 

At the start of week two, I definitely feel like I’ve got the general technique down. I’ve got a better idea of the spacing from the wall and how to keep balanced. 

With this, it’s time to increase my training volume to my target repetitions. I know that progressively increasing this is a great way to ensure muscle growth. My target for week two is three sets of ten repetitions. I think I’ll find it hard but I’m ready for the challenge. 

I’m at the end of week two and, therefore, halfway through the challenge. All I can say is wow! What a difference an extra five repetitions make. 

I’m glad I set ten as the target because that will be my limit for this challenge. I’ve found that I start to struggle at around eight, especially towards set three. Because of this, three sets of ten is definitely the right level of progressive overload. 

In week three, I’m hoping to start seeing some real differences. Let’s see what happens! 

Week 3 

For week three, I’m keeping the volume the same but looking to improve my technique at the end of the sets. I’m on a big trip this week to do some hiking. However, as long as I can find a wall, I’m good to go.

One thing that surprised me is the amount of core strength I’m using. Keeping a balanced position is challenging. Because of this, I know my core stability and balance are improving. 

At the start of week three, I’ve noticed that my shoulder strength has also improved. Even though it’s a bodyweight movement, I’m literally pressing my whole body in the air. Therefore, it’s at a high enough intensity for strength improvements. 

Wearing a weight vest would be a great way to increase the intensity further. However, I think this would be too much for me right now. It’s important to manage rest and recovery to avoid possible injury. The shoulders are one of the most commonly injured muscle groups, accounting for 7.4% of all injuries.

This week was challenging for me. However, I’ve enjoyed being able to exercise anywhere I want. Splitting the sets throughout the day was a great idea. 

Week 4

It’s the last week of the challenge and I’m ready to have a perfect week. My technique is sorted and I’m noticing the physical differences. I’m also enjoying the extra upper-body work.

One thing I’ve noticed this week is that my shoulders feel more mobile. Even when I’m doing normal press-ups, they move around more freely without too much of a warm-up. I’ll need to keep warming up before exercise but this is a great sign of better shoulder mobility.

I’m hoping my full-body coordination has also improved. I’m finding the movement easier compared to week one so I guess it must have. When thinking about it, you need to coordinate your upper body, core, and lower body, making it a full-body exercise. 

At the end of the challenge, I’m really glad I chose the handstand push-up. I think it’s a well-rounded bodyweight movement worth including in any routine. 

Results And Key Changes

These are the five key changes I noticed when performing the challenge. Hopefully, you’ll experience them as well!

My Upper Body Strength Improved

My upper-body strength is generally quite good. I do a lot of push-ups, including different push-up progression routines. However, the shoulders tend to be secondary movers in most push-up movements.

Building strength requires a suitable training intensity. The fact that you need to press your whole body weight vertically in the handstand push-up provides it.

Because of this, my shoulder strength really improved over the four-week challenge. I’m sure this would mean that my other upper-body movements would also feel easier. 

What’s great about the handstand push-up is that I’m not even at my maximum intensity yet. I can still increase my volume and add a weighted vest when needed. The possibilities of this versatile movement are endless. 

My Shoulder Mobility Felt Better

Shoulder mobility refers to the flexibility and range of motion of your shoulder joints. Having good mobility means they can move using a large range of motion with few restrictions.

I would describe my shoulder mobility as average or maybe even good. I regularly work out and move around. However, there’s definitely room for improvement. 

The handstand push-up requires large degrees of shoulder flexion and extension. This means the arms come in front and behind the body.

Because of the large shoulder movement, my shoulder mobility felt really good at the end of the challenge. Both shoulders moved through their full ranges of motion with less restriction. 

Therefore, other exercises and general movements felt more natural and controlled. Upper body resistance training using large ranges of motion seems to improve shoulder mobility! 

My Core Stability And Balance Was Much Better

Core stability is needed for several important functions. It helps to maintain control during movement, exercise, and activity. It plays a leading role in how our limbs and body move in relation to the forces applied to it. 

My core stability isn’t bad at all. I regularly perform core strengthening work, which includes plank variations. However, I certainly wasn’t prepared for the stability and balance requirements of the handstand push-up.

After three weeks of practice and perfection, my core stability and balance really started to improve. With this, I felt more balanced and under control during both phases. This helped me to perfect my technique and focus more on my upper body movements. 

If you’re looking for a core stability and balance challenge, try this! It could even help to improve your sports performance. 

My Full-Body Coordination Was Challenged 

In a previous article, I looked at the benefits of doing push-ups every day for a week. In this, I mentioned they required full-body coordination. Even with this, they have nothing on the handstand push-up.

During each repetition, you need to keep your core engaged, hold a straight leg position, and bend both arms. While doing this, it’s also important to maintain a neutral head position. 

At the end of the challenge, my full-body coordination improved. The different elements of the handstand push-up provide a suitable challenge. Because of this, I felt more coordinated during everyday movement and activity, including when playing sports. 

The Functional Strength Element Was Great

Functional strength development is important to me. It refers to the ability of your body to perform everyday tasks and activities against resistance. Better functional strength means you’ll find daily living much easier. 

As I regularly travel, I’m always exercising, hiking, and climbing. Therefore, my level of functional strength plays a big role in everything I do. 

The handstand push-up is a great functional exercise. It uses the shoulders and chest muscles to push your body away from the floor. Examples of similar movements include pushing a door open or pushing off the floor when lying down. 

This element improved my functional strength by the end of the challenge. 

How To Do A Handstand Push-Up 

How To Do

1. Set up next to a suitable wall in a large space. Check that the wall is well-built and free from any obstructions.
2. Stand facing away from the wall with your feet hip-width apart. Your head should be approximately 10 inches from the wall. 
3. Inhale and engage your core. Place both hands on the ground in front of you hip-width apart.
4. Kick one leg back onto the wall. Perform the same movement with the other leg before bringing your hands back towards the wall. Walk up the wall with your legs at the same time.
5. Stop when your hands are around 6 inches away from the wall. Your legs should be vertical with your hands stacked under your shoulders. 
6. Exhale and flex your elbows to lower down to the ground. Pause briefly at the bottom position before your head touches the ground. 
7. Extend your elbow to bring your body back to the starting position, inhaling at the same time. 

Tips

• Use a slow, controlled tempo for each repetition. Both phases of the movement should be carried out at the same speed to maintain balance and control. 
• Avoid moving your hands once in the starting position. This helps to avoid any excess stress and potential injury, Check your hand positions before bending your elbows. 
• Keep your core engaged throughout each repetition. This helps to maintain a stable body position and ensures primary muscle focus. 
• Engage your shoulder muscles as you push back to the starting position, This helps to develop a better mind-muscle connection which can improve muscle growth. 
• Avoid tucking or overextending your neck. Your head should remain in a neutral position throughout both phases of the movement. This prevents excessive neck strain and potential injury.

Final Thoughts

The handstand push-up is a challenging bodyweight movement that’s well worth adding to your workout routine. It requires full body strength, mobility, coordination, and core stability. Because of this, it’s a versatile exercise that offers well-rounded development with consistent performance.

Whenever I see a wall, I’ll add some repetitions to my daily routine. If you don’t have access to a gym or prefer bodyweight movements, this has to be on the list. Hopefully, in the future, I’ll progress to using a weighted vest or no wall. For now, though, I’m pleased with my overall progress and will recommend this movement to anyone I meet!

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