Your Healthiest Year Ever, Day 15: Do a Handstand Pushup

Hola my Amigos (and Amigas)! How are you this lovely (COLD) Sunday? Did you end your day with a dance party yesterday, and start with one today? I’m feeling PUMPED from our parties!

Today’s challenge has been inspired by my FitFluential peers (I think I forgot to announce that I’m a FitFluential Ambassador – oops!). Anyways – I’m a FitFluential Ambassador, and one thing we’ve been busy doing is attempting handstand pushups, and tagging others to try them too. So of course I’m participating, and guess what?

I’m tagging YOU!! ALL three of you who read my blog, to try a handstand push up!!

Here’s my vlog of my really sad attempt at it (I’m totally ok if you laugh your arse off at me):

Now here’s where I get serious…

Bodyweight exercises (such as handstand push ups) have an advantage over traditional weight training exercises in that they move your entire body in a real 3D environment. Exercises, such as this, where you move your entire body through space are much more demanding and provide a greater level of nero-muscular activation then exercises where you just move your limbs. That is why squats are harder then leg presses, pull ups harder then pull downs, and handstand push ups are harder then shoulder presses, etc.

Handstand push ups work all 3 heads of the deltoids, the upper chest, the upper back, and the triceps heavily. Secondary stress is also placed on the core muscles of the mid-section and the forearms from balancing and supporting your body.

With a regular push up you are only lifting about 60% of your bodyweight, but with a handstand push up you are lifting 100% of your bodyweight. Due to the difficulty of the exercise, beginners (like us) should start off just practicing getting their body in the handstand position with their feet supported against a wall. And gradually work up to holding this position for 30 seconds or more. Once you can hold the position, then try to raise and lower yourself – over time you’ll get stronger and stronger, eventually being able to lower yourself all the way down, and able to do more and more reps.

Ready? Now GO!!

 

Have a great day!For a list of all of the Challenges, see the 31 Days to a Healthier You page.

PS – you can join the 31 Days to a Healthier You challenge anytime by leaving a comment below indicating your interest & ticking the “Notify me of new posts by email” box so that you’ll be emailed the daily challenge.