Wall handstand push-up negative

Lower slowly from a wall handstand until your head touches the floor, building the shoulder and triceps strength for your first handstand push-up.

How to do it

1. 01Put a folded towel on the floor by the wall, then place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, about a hand-span from the wall, so the towel sits between your hands and the wall.
2. 02Kick up into a handstand with your back to the wall, heels resting on it, arms locked and abs braced.
3. 03Bend your elbows and lower yourself very slowly over 3–5 seconds, moving the top of your head slightly in front of your hands to form a triangle.
4. 04Touch your head down lightly on the towel, then bring your feet down one at a time and stand up — do not try to press back up.
5. 05Kick up again for the next rep; end the set when you can no longer lower slowly and evenly.

Common mistakes

• Speeding up in the last part and dropping onto your head — keep the same slow speed all the way; if needed, shorten the range with a thicker pad.
• Elbows flaring out to the sides — keep them tucked about 45° from your body.
• Arching and kicking to fight back up — on the way up, just step down and kick up again.

In the Handstand push-up progression

1. 1Elevated pike push-up
2. 2Wall handstand push-up negative
3. 3Wall handstand push-up
4. 4Deficit wall handstand push-up
5. 5Freestanding handstand push-up

Standard to move on: 3 sets × 5, two sessions in a row.