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Bodyweight Setting up training to perform handstand push-up

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Warrior_Scientist

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How would you set up a training week to work towards performing a handstand push-up?
Current maxes are
barbell press 125 lbs x 1 rep
kb press 55 lbs x 1
push-ups x 22 reps



thanks,
 
Steve Freides said:
In my experience, if you achieve your 1/2 bw Kettlebell press, you’ll be able to do a walk-supported handstand press in very short order.

-S-
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thanks. I came across the daily dose press in another thread. I literally have to fight for training time monday through friday due to work, kids, and study so the low time commitment of a daily dose works for me.
 
Warrior_Scientist said:
How would you set up a training week to work towards performing a handstand push-up?
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Honestly? I'd do HSPUs.
To increase my pushups I do pushups and not bench presses...
If you can't do HSPUs yet start with handstand holds. After some time (e.g. being able to hold the handstand for a minute) stack books under your head, lower to the books and press up again. After some sessions you will feel confident with this and you can take away a book to increase the ROM by an inch or so. Sooner or latter you'll be able to do the full ROM.

3x per week 15-25 reps total would be a good start.
Add some regular pushups after the HSPU practice to get some additional volume.
 
Mark Limbaga said:
The reverse also happens to be true, I got my wall HSPU regularly before my 1/2bw press
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Good point, Handstand pushups are much easier than 1/2 bodyweight presses, so this makes sense.

Steve Freides said:
In my experience, if you achieve your 1/2 bw Kettlebell press, you’ll be able to do a walk-supported handstand press in very short order.

-S-
Click to expand...

This is good advice, if you have access to weights.
 
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Their is an article post here on Strongfirst showing how you can use bands to assist HSPU's. I can say it certainly works (if you want to go for direct training).

I can also attest that a good press can translate to HSPU'S. I did Strongman for a while (lots of pressing) but rarely, if ever, did HSPU's but could pump out 5-6 of them (even at a 4-5" deficit!).

Both options are valid. But ensure you can #1 handle yourself well on pushups and #2 handle yourself well with dips, otherwise the elbows may not like any of your HSPU training.
 
Hello,

Plus, this is possible to make them more or less challenging using a support (chairs, bars, etc...) to vary ROM. The ring version is also interesting, even if it is almost another skill, because one has to deal with natural ring instability.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
wall HSPU or Hespu are also easier for the lower back and glute than MP.
 
Kiacek said:
Good point, Handstand pushups are much easier than 1/2 bodyweight presses, so this makes sense.
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Oh it's cool to see different viewpoints. To me personally the Wall HSPU feels about the same in difficulty. I can do about 5 reps on Wall HSPUs (as opposed to 1 per side on 1/2 Press), but I also train the Wall HSPU much more so it's kind of a wash. Oh well.

Neat thread.
 
305pelusa said:
I can do about 5 reps on Wall HSPUs (as opposed to 1 per side on 1/2 Press)
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That's just logical IMO. A standard wall HSPU (without parallettes to add ROM) starts at the top of your head. A standard press (barbell or KB) starts at collarbone height.
That's a ROM difference which equals the height of your head + neck.
 
Mark Limbaga said:
@Kiacek IMHO the wall HSPUs are easier for lighter individuals
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You've seen heavier individuals who can 1\2 bodyweight press that struggle with handstand pushups (past the intial awkwardness of inversion)?

305pelusa said:
...To me personally the Wall HSPU feels about the same in difficulty.
.
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Interesting, these came as a shock!
This makes me reevaluate my statements, I was basing my view on a sample size of one ( which is better than no data, but inherently very weak)

I would love to hear more peoples experience this is quickly becoming my favorite thread.

pet' said:
Hello,

The ring version is also interesting, even if it is almost another skill, because one has to deal with natural ring instability.
Click to expand...

Even when I used to do handstand pushups and could manage 12-15 at a time, I couldn't even hold myself upside down on rings.

A guy I wrestled with could do these, the control it takes to do them showed in his technical mastery over others on the mat
 
Kettlebelephant said:
That's just logical IMO. A standard wall HSPU (without parallettes to add ROM) starts at the top of your head. A standard press (barbell or KB) starts at collarbone height.
That's a ROM difference which equals the height of your head + neck.
Click to expand...
Oh maybe there's a nomenclature issue here. I personally consider a Wall HSPU to be full ROM. Hands to shoulders (just like a normal push-up).
If done to only head level, I call those Headstand Push-ups (HeSPU for short). It's a short and easy way to specify.

I meant to say that I find a Wall HSPU to be roughly similar in difficulty to a 1/2 BW Press. Sorry about the confusion, it's not always easy to tell from context what people mean.
 
305pelusa said:
Oh maybe there's a nomenclature issue here. I personally consider a Wall HSPU to be full ROM. Hands to shoulders (just like a normal push-up).
If done to only head level, I call those Headstand Push-ups (HeSPU for short). It's a short and easy way to specify.
Click to expand...
Ah, okay :)
 
305pelusa said:
If done to only head level, I call those Headstand Push-ups (HeSPU for short). It's a short and easy way to specify.

I meant to say that I find a Wall HSPU to be roughly similar in difficulty to a 1/2 BW Press. Sorry about the confusion, it's not always easy to tell from context what people mean.
Click to expand...

Oh, I used to do headstand pushups by this definition, never really did much more in ROM than that.

Mark Limbaga said:
@Kiacek yes. One thing I have noticed about strong pressers though is they have a solid back and meaty triceps
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This is very interesting to me, thank you.

[I'm still catching up on who people are from their training logs, its nice that they post certified instructor under your name so we can tell who is speaking from their personal experience and who is speaking from their personal experience and the knowledge gained training many others.]
 
pet' said:
Hello,

Plus, this is possible to make them more or less challenging using a support (chairs, bars, etc...) to vary ROM. The ring version is also interesting, even if it is almost another skill, because one has to deal with natural ring instability.

Kind regards,

Pet'
Click to expand...
I think this is important info! A few years ago, I could do sets of HSPU's on the floor (using wall support) in the 10-15 rep range. On impulse I brought in a couple cinder blocks to go for full ROM and could do ZERO, not a single rep! As soon as I passed what would be the bottom on a floor HSPU, I would not even be able to control the negative. It was a whole new journey to gain those last few inches.
 
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