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Handstand e Book PDF
Handstand e Book PDF
Handstand e Book PDF
DISCLAIMER:
Calisthenics Kingz is not held liable for injuries incurred during your training or use of
these exercises. If injuries are sustained, it is by not fault of Calisthenics Kingz, regardless
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
I. Hit
Richards..…………………………………………………………………………………
Page
2
b. Progression of Exercises Used to Master Handstands & HSPU… Page 5
Hit
Richards
Richards
believes
in
human
potential
and
the
power
of
sport
to
change
a
person’s
life
in
a
positive
way.
He
is
the
founder
of
Calisthenics
Kingz,
a
New
York-‐based
organization
comprised
of
performance-‐based
training
experts
who
promote
fitness
through
natural
body
weight
exercises
known
as
calisthenics.
Calisthenics
is
a
simple
yet
powerful
tool
that
develops
superior
muscle
tone
while
promoting
physical
well-‐being.
Richards
believes
very
strongly
that
calisthenics
exercises
promote
not
only
overall
body
strength
and
conditioning
but
inner
strength,
self-‐
awareness,
self-‐esteem
and
mental
clarity.
In
addition
to
advising
adults,
Hit
Richards
is
a
vocal
advocate
in
the
fight
against
childhood
obesity
and
aims
to
inspire
adults
and
children
alike
to
take
more
active
roles
in
their
physical
fitness.
Based
in
New
York
City,
Richards
speaks
widely
around
the
world
on
wellness
issues
and
can
be
reached
at
chance_a@hotmail.com.
Introduction
In
this
e-‐book,
I'm
going
to
teach
you
step-‐by-‐step
the
exercises
and
balance
skills
you
need
in
order
to
perform
handstands
and
handstand
pushups
with
and
without
support.
As
an
added
bonus,
you
will
also
learn
how
to
do
a
very
elite
level
handstand,
which
is
the
Diamond
Handstand
Pushup.
Before
you
start
to
learn
the
Freestanding
Handstand,
I
advise
you
to
be
able
to
do
10
full-‐range
of
motion
HeSPU
and/or
HSPU
with
the
wall.
If
you
do
not
know
what
the
HeSPU
is,
by
the
end
of
this
book,
I
will
explain
everything
and
you
will
know
this
and
much
more.
Let’s
get
started!
-HIT
A.
Meanings
of
Abbreviations
&
Terms
Used
I
will
use
several
terms
in
this
book.
To
not
confuse
you,
I’ve
explained
them
below
in
detail.
Freestanding
This
term
refers
to
practicing
the
balance
without
any
support
at
all
–
i.e.,
no
wall,
etc.
HeSPU
An
HeSPU
is
a
“Headstand
Pushup.”
This
is
similar
to
a
Handstand
Pushup,
except
the
range
of
motion
is
not
at
its
maximum.
In
an
HeSPU,
your
head
does
not
go
below
the
level
of
your
hands.
For
example,
when
your
hands
are
on
the
ground,
your
head
cannot
go
lower
than
your
hands.
HSPU
An
HSPU
is
a
“Handstand
Pushup.”
In
an
HSPU,
your
head
goes
below
the
level
of
your
hands.
You
can
do
an
HSPU
with
hands
on
a
chair,
a
pushup
bar
or
when
between
parallel
bars
–
really,
any
support
that
allows
you
to
go
below
the
level
of
your
hands.
The
full
range
of
motion
is
maximal.
DIAMOND
HS
This
stands
for
“Diamond
Handstand.”
This
is
a
very
advanced
level
of
handstand,
where
the
hands
are
facing
one
another
to
form
a
diamond
shape.
B.
Progression
of
Exercises
Used
to
Master
Handstands
&
HSPU
Start
in
a
handstand
position
with
your
back
against
the
wall
and
go
down
as
slowly
as
possible
until
you
have
your
nose
near
the
ground.
Then,
lower
your
feet
to
the
ground.
Get
back
up
into
the
handstand
position
against
the
wall
and
continue
the
exercise
for
the
necessary
number
of
repetitions.
You
only
do
the
negative
part
of
the
exercise;
it
is
too
difficult
to
do
the
positive
at
this
point.
You
have
to
stay
straight;
do
not
arch
the
back.
For
this,
you
should
place
your
hands
about
4-‐6
inches
from
the
wall.
3.
HeSPU
WITH
WALL
This
is
the
same
as
a
negative
HeSPU
with
wall
shown
in
Step
2.
However,
with
an
HeSPU
with
wall,
you
are
doing
the
exercise
completely
with
both
the
negative
and
positive
phase.
The
ultimate
goal
is
to
touch
the
nose
or
head
on
the
ground.
Keep
in
mind
that
an
HeSPU
is
identical
to
a
HSPU,
the
only
difference
being
that
in
an
HeSPU,
you
will
reach
further
and
lightly
touch
your
nose
or
head
closely
to
the
ground.
4.
FROG
SITS
Frog
sits
are
a
great
way
to
start
when
learning
the
balance
needed
for
a
Freestanding
Handstand.
The
best
way
to
do
this
is
to
start
by
placing
palms
face
down
on
the
ground,
shoulder
width
apart,
looking
down
at
the
ground
and
then
placing
knees
against
elbows.
Lean
forward
about
45
degrees,
lift
feet
off
of
ground
balancing
knees
slightly
on
the
edge
of
elbows
and
just
hold
this
position
for
20-‐30
seconds.
Then,
return
to
starting
position.
As
you
become
more
comfortable
with
this
through
each
repetition,
try
lifting
knees
off
of
elbows.
5.
FROG
SITS
TO
FREESTANDING
HANDSTAND
To
transition
from
a
Frog
Sit
to
a
freestanding
handstand,
proceed
in
the
same
way
you
would
in
a
normal
frog
sit
–
but
now,
transition
from
the
45
degree
angle
lean
to
a
90
degree
angle
lean.
While
maintaining
your
balance,
lift
knees
off
of
elbows,
keep
your
feet
together
and
push
your
legs
straight
up.
Keep
your
body
aligned
and
as
straight
as
possible
until
the
body
is
fully
straight.
6.
FREE
HeSPU
Proceed
as
in
Step
2
with
the
negative
HeSPU
with
wall,
but
now
you
have
no
support
for
your
feet.
You're
free.
This
step
of
course
requires
the
ability
to
hold
the
free
handstand.
As
explained
in
the
introduction,
once
you’ve
mastered
10
repetitions
of
an
HeSPU
or
HSPU
with
the
wall,
you
can
start
to
learn
the
free
handstand.
Do
the
same
as
explained
with
the
frog
sit
in
Step
5
except
now
you
are
proceeding
to
perform
a
pushup.
This
can
be
practiced
anywhere
-‐-‐
outside
on
a
bench,
steps,
on
a
parallel/dip
bar,
etc.
9.
DIAMOND
HANDSTAND
PUSHUP
Once
you’ve
mastered
HeSPU,
Frog
Sits
and
Freestanding
Handstand
Pushups,
you
can
try
moving
on
to
one
of
the
most
advanced
hand-‐balancing
movements
there
is
which
is
the
Diamond
Freestanding
Handstand.
It
is
performed
with
hands
being
positioned
inward
as
to
form
a
diamond.
It
is
considered
a
unilateral
type
of
handstand
and
requires
extremely
powerful
tendons,
especially
in
the
forearms,
elbows
and
wrists.
To
master
this
move
over
time,
as
you
do
Freestanding
Handstand
Pushups,
try
and
bring
the
hands
closer
together
–
maybe
2
inches
-‐-‐
each
time,
until
the
hands
actually
form
a
diamond.
Once
you’ve
mastered
the
Freestanding
Diamond
Handstand,
you
can
move
on
to
doing
the
actual
pushups
which
promise
to
be
even
more
difficult
but
with
continuous
practice,
will
be
mastered!!
C. Muscles Involved
HeSPU
and
HSPU
involve
the
same
muscles
but
different
perspective.
It
is
obvious
that
the
strength
required
to
do
a
HSPU
is
much
greater
than
for
a
HeSPU.
When
you
do
it
without
support
(freestanding),
your
core
abs/lower
back
is
engaged
much
more
because
at
this
point
your
legs
are
no
longer
supported
by
anything.
Your
lower
back
and
abdominal
muscles
must
work
much
harder
to
support
the
weight
of
your
legs.
Your
legs,
thighs
and
calves
are
also
isolated.
You
must
contract
the
legs
to
keep
them
outstretched,
pointing
your
toes
toward
the
sky.
Main
muscles
involved:
• Deltoids
• Triceps
• Trapezius
• Lower
back
• Abdominals
D.
Format
of
Progression
and
Methods
of
Intensification
1.
System
of
Progression
For
each
exercise,
from
Step
1
to
8,
you
will
use
this
system
of
progression:
Once
you
master
10
repetitions
in
Step
1,
you
move
on
to
Step
2.
Once
you
master
10
repetitions
in
Step
2,
you
move
on
to
Step
3.
Once
you
master
10
repetitions
in
Step
3,
you
move
on
to
Step
4.
And,
so
on.
Once
you
get
to
Step
9,
which
is
the
very
advanced
level
Diamond
Handstand
Pushup,
you
may
be
ready
for
other
advanced
handstands,
which
I
will
teach
in
future
eBooks.
For
now,
continue
to
progress
from
Steps
1-‐8.
To
challenge
yourself
or
ensure
mastery
at
each
level,
I
invite
you
to
employ
the
three
methods
of
intensification
listed
below.
These
methods
are
increasingly
difficult,
with
the
Combo
Method
being
the
most
challenging
of
all.
Once
you
can
successfully
do
an
exercise
10
times
in
a
row
with
a
combination
of
both
weight
and
slow
speed,
you
are
ready
to
move
on
to
the
next
level.
2.
Methods
of
intensification
1.
Slow
Performance
(“Slow
Work”)
Do
the
exercise
as
slowly
as
possible
(without
any
specific
tempo).
That
is
to
say,
the
movement
is
continuous
with
no
difference
between
descent
and
ascent
while
you
perform
reps
slowly.
2.
Weighted
Work
Feel
free
to
challenge
yourself
once
you’re
comfortable
with
these
exercises
by
performing
the
exercise
with
a
weighted
vest
or
ankle
weight.
3.
Combo
Methods
You
may
also
combine
these
methods
of
intensification.
Such
as:
weighted
slow,
more
weight,
and
so
on.
Depending
on
how
much
you
want
to
challenge
yourself,
you
may
be
able
to
move
to
the
next
step
(manage
to
do
your
first
half
range
of
motion
HeSPU
or
HSPU)
when
you
arrive
at
one
of
these
three
steps.
Regarding
the
number
of
sets
and
repetitions,
proceed
as
described
below:
• Start
by
doing
3
sets
of
3
repetitions
(3x3)
until
you
are
able
to
increase
to
5
sets
of
3
repetitions
(5x3).
Throughout
all
of
your
sets,
remember
to
keep
a
steady
tempo
to
help
support
superior
muscle
development.
• Next,
move
to
3x5
until
you
are
capable
of
increasing
to
5x5,
then
3
sets
of
6-‐8
repetitions,
then
2
sets
of
10-‐12+.
• Take
3-‐5
minutes
of
rest
between
sets.
Then,
decrease
the
rest
time
throughout
your
progress.
For
instance,
when
you
arrive
at
3
sets
of
6-‐8
and
2
sets
of
10-‐12
+,
take
1.30-‐3
min
rest.
• Once
you've
begun
the
methods
of
intensification,
you
follow
the
format
of
progression
of
sets
until
5x5.
For
example,
you
start
Exercise
1
with
the
slow
work.
You
will
begin
with
3x3
until
you
can
do
5x5
as
explained
above.
• Regarding
the
negative,
just
descend
as
slowly
as
possible.
Once
you
are
able
to
do
a
negative
with
over
15
seconds,
add
weight
if
you
can.
Otherwise,
continue
to
increase
the
time.
• WARNING:
Please
do
not
become
over-confident
before
truly
achieving
mastery.
Do
not
jump
from
a
slow
set
of
3x3
to
3x6,
or
5x5
to
5x7
if
you
have
not
even
comfortably
mastered
3x3.
You
should
only
proceed
to
higher,
more
intense
reps
once
you
are
performing
your
current
rep
level
with
ease.
E.
Weekly
Schedule
The
number
of
sessions
will
depend
of
the
other
skills
you
are
working
on
or
fitness
program
you’re
involved
in.
I
personally
recommend,
if
possible,
including
this
into
your
current
fitness
program.
That
way,
it’s
much
easier
and
faster
for
you
to
learn
and
master
the
skill.
When
I
first
started,
I
worked
on
handstands
at
a
minimum
of
four
times
per
week.
For
example:
• Work
Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday
with
Wednesday
as
the
day
of
rest
between
these
four
days
of
training.
You
choose
which
days
are
actually
best
for
you
depending
on
your
availability
to
create
your
weekly
schedule.
• You
could
also
do
Tuesday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday
with
Thursday
as
the
day
of
rest
in
between.
• Or,
Saturday-Sunday-Tuesday-Wednesday
with
Monday
as
the
day
of
rest
in
between,
etc.
The
best
is
to
work
your
HSPU
each
of
the
four
days
of
training
until
you
have
it
mastered.
If
you
just
want
to
follow
the
progression
of
HSPU,
practice
them
over
the
course
of
those
four
days.
But
as
said
above,
it
depends
on
your
goals
and
everything
that
you
work
in
parallel.
Conclusion
Now
that
you
are
a
master
of
HSPU
&
Diamond
HSPU,
you
will
likely
want
to
go
even
further.
What
to
do?
Well,
you
can
have
fun
with
these
exercises
anywhere
outside
on
many
supports
that
range
in
difficulty.
You
can
also
have
fun
doing
them
as
often
as
possible,
which
will
increase
your
skill
level
and
your
strength
and
build
up
strength
in
other
areas
as
well.
There
are
other
alternatives,
too,
such
as
Freestanding
Handstand
Clap
Pushups,
which
are
like
Clap
Pushups
but
in
a
handstand.
You
could
even
do
the
Tigerbend
Pushups
(which
will
be
my
next
e-‐book!).
There
are
many
options.
Continue
to
explore
the
world
of
hand
balancing
–
be
safe,
and
have
fun!
FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT OR ASSISTANCE IN YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM, EMAIL ME:
CHANCE_A@HOTMAIL.COM
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