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Katie Sonier 6 Week Progressive Handstand Program PDF
Katie Sonier 6 Week Progressive Handstand Program PDF
3
Before You Start
Before you begin the program, please read
about our terms and conditions as well as our
legal disclaimers. By accessing and using this
guide, you agree to be bound by these terms.
4
Important Info
With this 6-week guide, progressively build up
your upper body and core strength, become
more comfortable on your hands, and learn the
necessary steps to eventually master the
handstand.
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What To Expect
In this 6-week progressive handstand program,
you can expect to dedicate AT LEAST 3 days a
week to progressive handstand training while
building your strength, learning body
control/awareness and improving overall skill
level.
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Weekly Training
Your 6-week progressive handstand training
guide. Learn, progress, and master the
movements necessary to build strength and
work your ways towards a handstand.
19
Train With Katie
Learn more about my TRAIN WITH KATIE
membership program where you get access
to 6 full training videos per week and 24/7
communication with me as your coach.
BEFORE YOU START
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LEGAL STUFF BEFORE YOU BEGIN
THIS PROGRAM.
LEGAL DISLAIMER
The information in this document is The recommendations, instructions and
intended for general reference purposes only advice contained within this document and
and is not intended to address specific e-mail are in no way intended to replace or to
medical conditions. be construed as medical advice and are
offered for informational purposes only.
This information is not a substitute for
professional medical advice or a medical Katie Sonier Inc. and its respective agents,
exam. Prior to participating in any exercise heirs, assigns, contractors and employee’s
program or activity, you should seek the shall not be liable for any claims, demands,
advice of your physician or other qualified damages, rights of action or causes of action,
health professional. present or future, arising out of or connected
to the use of any of the information contained
No health information on this site should be in this Website, including any injuries
used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any resulting there from.
medical condition.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED: All you will need for this program is
your own bodyweight, a bench/steps, a wall, and the will to
succeed with a positive attitude.
WEEK 1: This week you are practicing skills that will improve your overall upper body and core
strength, which you will need to master a handstand. Gaining strength in push ups and inch worms
will be the focus.
WEEK 2: This week you want to focus on being able to perform more unbroken push up reps and
gaining more strength in inch worms, specifically focusing on speed and getting off your hands as
quick as possible.
WEEK 3: This week you start to implement some inverted (upside down) practice with elevated
inverted isometric holds. Continuing to build upper body strength and getting more comfortable
being upside down!
WEEK 4: This week (if you are ready...remember we all progress at different rates) you progress your
elevated inch worms to wall walks. Go as vertical as you can, maintaining core engagement and body
control. Practice, practice, practice!
WEEK 5: This week you work on progressing your wall walks. Work your way towards getting fully
vertical against the wall and increasing the amount of unbroken reps you can do.
WEEK 6: This week you continue to progress your wall walks and enter the beginning stages of taking
things away from the wall and practicing "kick ups."
WHY DO WE DO WALL WALKS? As you get farther into this program, you will be introduced to an
exercise called a "wall walk." You want to learn handstands FACING the wall, as opposed to facing
away, because you will then create good handstand habits from the beginning and save a ton of
time "relearning" or fixing bad habits. Wall walks teach you core engagement, body control, and
will significantly improve your overall upper body strength. I still do wall walk reps in my own
training today. I always recommend learning them this way from the beginning and I encourage
those who already can handstand without a wall to continue to implement wall walks into their
training as well.
WRIST FLEXIBILITY/MOBILITY:
IF YOU ARE PRONE TO WRIST PAIN/SORENESS, BE SURE TO STRETCH AND MOBILIZE YOUR WRISTS BEFORE
GETTING INTO THIS TRAINING.
Plank Variations x 30-60 seconds Hollow Body Hold Variations x 30-60 seconds
WEEK 1
PRACTICE, PROGRESS, AND MASTER THESE MOVEMENTS THIS WEEK. I RECOMMEND
IMPLEMENTING THESE EXERCISES INTO YOUR CURRENT TRAINING AT LEAST 3 TIMES A
WEEK. GREATER/FASTER RESULTS WILL COME WITH 5 + TIMES A WEEK.
Movement # 2: Inch
Worm to Push Up
The next movement you want to master is the inch
worm. Add in a push up at the bottom of the inch
worm to make the movement more challenging.
(Remember, you can drop your knees on the push up but
Inch worm to push
make it a goal to be able to complete push ups with no
up position (add
knees). The inch worm is a regressed version of the "wall
push up to make
walk" which we will introduce later in the program.
more challenging)
Focus on keeping your hands flat on the floor throughout
and inch worm
the entire inch worm and look at your hands throughout
back up to
entire movement.
standing position.
That's 1 rep.
Repeat for 6-10
This week, do 6-10 (depending on current reps. Track
strength/level) unbroken reps for 3-4 sets. Aim for progress.
around a 1 minute rest between sets. Focus on
increasing reps as the weeks go on and getting
stronger with the movement overall.
Movement # 3:
Elevated Inverted
Isometric Holds
Elevated Inverted Isometric holds (holding position
shown in picture) will improve your overall upper
body strength and start to get you comfortable
being inverted (upside down). Get as vertical as you
can (back perpendicular to floor), look at your
hands entire time, and press up through your
shoulders throughout hold. You can place your feet
on a bench or any other elevated surface. FORM TIP: Make sure you are
looking at your hands entire
time, focusing on controlled
This week, aim for a 10-30 second hold
breathing, and pressing up
(depending on current strength/level) for
through your shoulders.
3-4 sets. Aim for a 1 minute rest between
holds and focus on being able to hold for
longer as the weeks progress.
Movement # 2: Inch
Worm to Push Up for
Speed/Quickness
Continue to master the inch worm to push up and
progress by improving both form and amount of Inch worm to push
unbroken reps you can do. This week, focus on your up position (add
speed- get off your hands quick out of the inch worm push up for more
(on the crawl back) before standing back up between strength) and inch
reps. If you feel that you are able to get off your hands worm back up to
quicker/easier, that means you're getting stronger. standing position
That's what we want! Continue to focus on keeping as quick and
your hands flat on the floor and look at your hands controlled as you
throughout entire movement. can. That's 1 rep.
Repeat for 8-12
This week, do 8-12 (depending on current reps. Track
strength/level) unbroken reps for 3-4 sets. Aim for progress.
around a 1 minute rest between sets. Focusing on
increasing reps as the weeks go on and getting
stronger with the movement overall.
Movement # 3:
Elevated Inch Worm
Reps into Isometric With your feet on an
Hold elevated surface,
This movement is a progressed version perform 3-6
of regular inch worms with your feet unbroken inch
being elevated. It challenges both your worms starting in
upper body and core strength/control plank position and
and prepares you for the next step, wall ending as vertical as
walks, which comes later on in the you can, pressing up
program. The reps will increase your through your
upper body conditioning and the hold shoulders and
will really dial into your strength and looking at your
continue to get you more comfortable hands entire time.
being upside down. Finish your last rep
of the set with an
isometric hold for 5-
This week, aim for 3-6 unbroken reps 30 seconds. Track
and finish your last rep with a 5- progress.
30 second isometric hold for 3-4 sets.
Aim for a 1 minute rest between holds
and focus on being able to do more
unbroken reps and hold for longer as the
weeks progress.
Movement # 2: Elevated
Inch Worms for Reps
Continue to progress your upper body
and core strength and your comfort level With your feet on
on your hands with unbroken elevated an elevated surface,
inch worm reps. No isometric holds here, perform 6-10
just rep after rep getting as vertical as unbroken reps
you can and pressing up through your starting in plank
shoulders with each rep. position and ending
as vertical as you
can, pressing up
This week, do as many unbroken through your
elevated inch worms as you can (6-10 shoulders and
reps is a good goal) for 3-4 sets. Aim looking at your
for around a 1 minute rest between hands entire
sets. Keep track of how many you are time. Track
able to get as you want to focus on progress.
progressing in reps and form each
week.
Movement # 3:
Elevated Inverted
Isometric Holds
More isometric holds! Challenge
yourself. When you feel your
strength giving out, hold it for an
extra 3 seconds. That's when you get
stronger. At this point in the
program (if you've been following it),
you should be able to hold these a
little longer than you could Week 1. FORM TIP: Make sure you are
looking at your hands entire
This week, aim for a 20-60 time, focusing on controlled
second hold (depending on current breathing, and pressing up
strength/level) for 3-4 sets. Aim for a 1 through your shoulders.
minute rest between holds and focus
on being able to hold for longer as the
weeks progress.
Movement # 2: Wall
Walks
Starting in push
We've made it to wall walks! This movement is the
up position with
ultimate way you are going to learn how to handstand.
your feet at the
With wall walk practice will come significantly improved
wall, raise one foot
strength, body awareness and control, and comfort of
onto wall at a time
being on your hands. Only go as vertical up the wall as
and let your hands
you can right now. The goal is to get all the way up the
follow as your feet
wall to a fully vertical handstand (flat back), without
walk up the wall.
your chest or quads touching the wall, before you make
Go as vertical as
your way back down to push up position. Watch your
you feel
hands entire time and press up through your shoulders.
comfortable. With
time, increase how
Aim for 3-6 reps of wall walks and allow for as long
vertical you can
of a rest period as you need as this movement is
get and how many
very fatiguing for 3-4 sets. It would be a good goal to
reps you can do.
increase your unbroken reps by 1 rep every 2-3 weeks.
Practice! The more you do these, the better you will
get. Simple yet great advice.
Progression: Create smaller
This week, do as many
space between hands and feet
unbroken inverted push ups as you
(more inverted)
can (6-12 reps is a good goal) for 3-4
sets. Aim for around a 1 minute rest
between sets.
Keep track of how many you are able
to get as you want to focus on
progressing in reps and form each
week.
Movement # 2: Wall
Walks
Starting in push
Continue to practice and progress your walks. DO NOT
up position with
SKIP THIS STEP to learning handstands. With wall walk
your feet at the
practice comes improved strength, body control, and
wall, raise one foot
comfort level on hands. All things you NEED for
onto wall at a time
handstand mastery. Continue to only go as vertical up
and let your hands
the wall as you can. Remember, the goal is to get all the
follow as your feet
way up the wall to a fully vertical handstand (flat back),
walk up the wall.
without your chest or quads touching the wall.
Go as vertical as
you feel
Aim for 3-6 reps of wall walks and allow for as long comfortable. With
of a rest period as you need as this movement is time, increase how
very fatiguing for 3-4 sets. It would be a good goal to vertical you can
increase your unbroken reps by 1 rep every 2-3 weeks. get and how many
Practice! The more you do these, the better you will reps you can do.
get. Simple yet great advice.
Movement # 3:
Kick Up Practice The "kick up"
starting position.
Taking things away from the wall and
continuing to get comfortable on your hands
and with your own body strength/control with
kick ups. Kick up to a point where you feel
comfortable for now. The goal is to be able to
kick up to a controlled fully vertical
Kick up to a point
handstand. Practice! With practice and time,
where you feel
you will gain more and more comfort and
comfortable. Repeat
strength. Once you are able to get to the full
for 10-15 reps.
handstand, continue to dedicate time to
practicing!
- It may take you YEARS to master, but who cares. Time goes on anyways.
- Reach out to me via email if you ever need any more guidance or support.
-Access to a supportive
community of others doing the Join my team at
program with you! www.katiesonier.com