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Thunderheart
Jul-20-07, 03:56 PM
This isn't necessarily a pros and cons post... more of a question of what the rest of you think/know on the subject of handstand push ups. I haven't dedicated much time to these in the past few years, sadly.. as I enjoyed the results when they were a daily practice.

Here's what I know.
About 5-6 years ago I used to do alot of isometrics and stretching. Little weight training was used. I felt good and strong but still wanted more rigid strength in my skinny wrist. A friend suggested to do .. or start hand stand push-ups against a wall (heels touching wall with hands about 4-8 inches away from wall). The first few days I could only do 1-3 of them. Within a week I was at around 10. By about the 3rd week I was consistantly doing around 40-60 a day, doing 20 each go. I didn't do this as part of a workout, no real reasoning behind that, I just didn't, they were a random part of the day and I liked it that way because to me, it felt like a brute force type of workout and ALWAYS got me pumped.

In the 3rd week of doing these, I 100% noticed a difference in my punches on the bag, especially with my left (weaker of the two in punching). I used to get "buckling" with my left wrist occasionally and that was gone now.

Anyways, to cut to the chase, I noticed an increase in wrist strength, shoulder strength, abs and lower back stability and just an all around better sense of balance. Things I didn't like were head rushes, losing balance and smashing furniture, and sore wrists from stupidly forgetting to stretch.

Ok so this sort of did turn in to a pros/cons post.

What are your thoughts on this workout? Any positive thoughts/knowledge to add? Or hey negative works too, as knowledge period is key...

Pale Nimbus
Jul-20-07, 05:17 PM
You increased your overhead strength, which almost always translates into better MA performance. If you want to continue improving strength, move to military presses, push presses, and the like. If you are happy with your current strength, continue with your current practice.

Birch
Jul-20-07, 05:22 PM
it sounds like good improvemnts and the cons are really just peices of poo compared to the gains you've made. keep them up or do what nimbus said and move to harder exercises!

Yuri
Jul-20-07, 05:59 PM
do handstand pushups without a wall, it is much more difficult

Thunderheart
Jul-20-07, 06:17 PM
Obviously.

Ashtar
Jul-23-07, 11:02 PM
Your punches not buckling is cool. I always read to do knuckle pushups for that so handstand ones working is neat. Unlike normal flat-palm pushups, you wouldn't just be stressing your wrist flexors in a stretched position, but occasionally also wrist extensors if you start toppling in the wrong direction.

It makes me wonder how effective (while suicidal) doing knuckle handstand pushups would be.

Even when you do them not touching the wall, it makes sense to be near a wall in case you fall, which can happen when you're nearing exhaustion and can no longer adequately stabilize. Using the wall also makes sense if you're adding additional weights (like ankle weights or weighted vest) while doing them.

Learning elbow stands would be cool since it'd probably help prepare you for absorbing impacts if you fell down.

Honken
Jul-24-07, 12:30 PM
It makes me wonder how effective (while suicidal) doing knuckle handstand pushups would be.

I've seen hard qigong practitioners do one handed knuckle handstand pushups. Probably the sickest I've ever seen. They didn't move much, but fuck that, even a couple of inches is incredible!

Thunderheart
Jul-24-07, 02:30 PM
I used to do thumb pushups... two armed though. Dunno if I still can heh...

They were more of a "oh yeah well..." thing though with some of my pals.

Yuri
Jul-24-07, 02:39 PM
you guys are just listing nancyboy excercises

this is the ultimate:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U3ubr1Z372Y

Thunderheart
Jul-24-07, 02:53 PM
Should have shown how he got up there. Not that I am negatively speculating, but they should have show that.

Steve
Jul-24-07, 09:44 PM
Yes, handstand push ups (especially unsupported ones) greatly contribute to wrist stability

Ashtar
Jul-25-07, 02:35 AM
I've seen hard qigong practitioners do one handed knuckle handstand pushups. Probably the sickest I've ever seen. They didn't move much, but fuck that, even a couple of inches is incredible!That sounds pretty cool, if you ever find a vid of that post it on YouTube :)
you guys are just listing nancyboy excercises this is the ultimate:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U3ubr1Z372YThat's not a pushup! Plus for all we know he was crippled forever after that.

Of course, he could probably shove his fingernail through my sternum right?
Yes, handstand push ups (especially unsupported ones) greatly contribute to wrist stability
What would a handstand wrist pushup do?