If an athlete can shoulder press about 85% of their body weight, they should be able to do a strict handstand push-up against a wall.  To be able to complete a deficit handstand push-up using parallettes, a shoulder press at greater than 100% of body weight is generally a prerequisite. Clearly, kipping pull ups require more skill and coordination but less pressing strength.

But let’s forget about the strength aspect of an inverted push up and address the other reasons for working on a handstand/handstand push up… And the rationale for the movement exists in the health benefits of being inverted. In getting the feet extended above the head… Or a scaled version with knees on a box and putting the hips up over the heart and head.  Putting some or all of the body’s weight into the hands taxes our balance and therefore yields improvements in balances and kinesthetic awareness- an increased learning of where the body is in space.  With practice in this position, athletes are challenged with a new perspective and build confidence as well.  The position also forces a new position with a varied type of weight overhead- giving a new and different stimulus to work on for the midline (aka- core stability).

Yogis have done inversions for the benefit of increasing circulation of the blood and for enhanced lymphatic drainage. Reversing gravity’s affect on the body, being upside down enables blood to get to the heart and brain with less effort and stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid which remove toxins from the body.  So get inverted to get stronger, to become more confident, more healthy and even more interesting!  “Do you come here often?  Want to see me stand on my hands?” It doesn’t matter if you do today’s HSPUs Rx or scaled. Simply getting upside down makes it all more interesting.

Tuesday’s WOD at 6, 7, 9am and again at 4 and 6pm
As many rounds as possible in 9 minutes of:
9 handstand push ups
6 burpees
3 power snatch 70/55kg
Post time, load, and scaling

Tuesday’s 5pm Open Training Hour