Handstand Push-up is a gymnastics movement on Fiz. Inverted push-up against wall. Also known as hspu. Primary muscles: shoulders, triceps. Scored by reps. Featured in Diane, Holleyman, JT, King Kong, Mary, Nate, The Seven.
Gymnastics

Handstand Push-up

also hspu

Inverted push-up against wall

Category
Gymnasticsbodyweight work on a bar, rings or the floor
Logged as
Reps
Primary muscles
Shoulders, triceps
Secondary
Upper back, core
Appears in
Diane, Holleyman, JT and 4 other workouts on Fiz

How to do a handstand push-up

4 steps
  1. Kick up to a handstand with your heels against the wall and your hands just outside your shoulders.
  2. Lower under control until the top of your head touches the floor.
  3. Press back up, and in a kipping version tuck the knees and drive them up as the arms press.
  4. Finish with arms locked and both heels back in contact with the wall.

What counts as a rep

Movement standard
  • The head touches the floor at the bottom, or the abmat where one is prescribed.
  • The rep finishes with elbows locked and both heels in contact with the wall.
  • The hands stay inside the marked box where one is used. Spreading them wide shortens the range and is a no-rep.

Common faults

3 faults

The hands creep wider through the set, which quietly reduces how far the head has to travel.

FixMark your hand position before you start. Widening is almost always unconscious and it is the first thing a judge looks for.

The body pikes away from the wall so the press happens at an angle rather than vertically.

FixSqueeze the glutes and keep the ribs down. A piked handstand push-up is a shoulder press with extra steps.

The kip fires before the arms are ready, so the knees drive and nothing happens.

FixLead with the legs a fraction after the press starts, not before it. The kip is assistance, not the engine.

Scaling ladder

1 harder, 2 easier
Deficit Handstand Push-upHandstand push-up with increased range of motion
Handstand Push-upWorks shoulders, triceps
Pike Push-upPush-up in pike position to target shoulders Box Handstand Push-upHandstand push-up with feet on box

Workouts using the handstand push-up

7 on Fiz
DianeLadder HolleymanFor Time JTLadder King KongFor Time MaryAMRAP NateAMRAP
Show all 7 workouts The SevenFor Time

Frequently asked

6 answers
What muscles does the Handstand Push-up work?
Handstand Push-up primarily works shoulders, triceps, with secondary engagement of upper back, core.
How do you do a Handstand Push-up?
Kick up to a handstand with your heels against the wall and your hands just outside your shoulders. Lower under control until the top of your head touches the floor. Press back up, and in a kipping version tuck the knees and drive them up as the arms press. Finish with arms locked and both heels back in contact with the wall.
What counts as a rep on the Handstand Push-up?
The head touches the floor at the bottom, or the abmat where one is prescribed. The rep finishes with elbows locked and both heels in contact with the wall. The hands stay inside the marked box where one is used. Spreading them wide shortens the range and is a no-rep.
What's an easier alternative to the Handstand Push-up?
Scale it to Pike Push-up or Box Handstand Push-up.
What's a harder progression from the Handstand Push-up?
Progress to Deficit Handstand Push-up once the Handstand Push-up is comfortable.
What else is the Handstand Push-up called?
Handstand Push-up is also written hspu. Fiz resolves all of those spellings to the same movement, so a workout written either way logs to the same history.
Gymnastics movementsThe other 35 entries in this category The full movement library221 movements, with muscles worked and scaling both ways Log the handstand push-up in FizFree on iOS and Android