How to do a Walking Handstand

Handstands are not only fun, they are great exercise and a handy way to impress people. Most people don't seriously try to learn because they are scared of getting hurt or falling, but once you start practicing doing a walking handstand will become easier than you think.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• level ground
• persistence
• belief in yourself

1. Find a quiet room with smooth floors or a grassy flat spot outdoors. If you are attempting to do a handstand inside, a carpet or mat is generally recommended. Once you have found your spot there are two general ways to practice your handstand. A combination of these two approaches is recommended.

2. The first approach is to stand straight, put your arms in front of you and in one swift motion place your arms on the floor and kick your legs up. Do this over and over again, trying to kick your legs higher above your head each time. Once your legs are above your head and you feel yourself balancing, slowly lift one of your arms and attempt to walk your hand forward.

3. As you do this, start to concentrate on having your arms spaced shoulder width apart. Look at the wall in front of you instead of at the ground as this will cause your spine to slump forward and ultimately make you lose your balance. When your legs are in the air, start making sure they are straight and that your feet are right next to each other.

4. As you do this, start to concentrate on having your arms spaced shoulder width apart. Look at the wall in front of you instead of at the ground as this will cause your spine to slump forward and ultimately make you lose your balance. When your legs are in the air, start making sure they are straight and that your feet are right next to each other.

5. Arm and ab strength are important when doing a walking handstand. If you feel you cannot support your weight with your arms or that your back refuses to stay straight, you can practice doing sit ups and pushups to get the necessary strength. It also helps to practice falling over without hurting yourself.

6. Practice method two involves getting next to a wall and kicking your feet up so that you are doing a handstand against it. Practice remaining in this position for ever increasing amounts of time. When you are ready, temporarily kick your feet away from the wall and see how long you can hold this position.

7. Most importantly, have patience and perseverance. Like most worthwhile skills, it will take several sessions before you learn to successfully do a walking headstand

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to keep your body perfectly straight.
• You can have a lot of fun if you practice doing this with someone else.
• Don't practice on a hard surface unless you are extremely confident with your falling abilities.

Resources

• The Handstand (wikipedia)