Beginner Handstand Guide: How To Learn It Fast + The Only Gear You Need

Handstands look like magic, but they’re not.

They’re just a skill. One that you can build, step by step. There are many tutorials online teaching the handstand, however most of them assume the wall-assisted handstand is the first step.

This is completely incorrect. 

I’ve spent over 15 years chasing handstand mastery and helping thousands of students do the same.

If there’s one thing I wish more people understood, it’s this: learning to handstand doesn’t begin with balancing.

It begins with falling safely, building the strength to support yourself, and learning how your body works upside down.

This guide will show you how to start that journey.

By the end, you'll have full clarity and confidence in learning the handstand by mastering these fundamentals.

And I’ll also show you the exact tools I personally use (and recommend to my students) that make training far safer, smoother, and more effective.

Step 1: Learn to Fall (First, Not Last)

Most beginners fear falling. That’s completely normal, it’s human instinct.

But the reality is, fear doesn’t go away by avoiding it. You beat it with repetition and smart progressions.

And it starts with a simple technique called the Wheel Out.

Wheel Out

This isn’t some wild gymnastics move, it’s basically the end of a cartwheel.

One hand stays planted, the other lifts, your body rotates, and your legs follow. Boom, safe landing.

Here's how to perform the Wheel Out:

1. Start from a light incline or low wall. Kick up gently.
2. Plant one hand.
3. Lift the other, rotate, and land one foot at a time.
4. Repeat until it feels automatic.

Progressing The Wheel Out

Over time, start higher up the wall, so you get used to the vertical position.

Add padding near your fall zone to stay safe, but never place your hands on something soft (your wrists won’t love stabilizing on that.)

Getting good at falling isn’t a side skill, it’s part of your handstand. Every time you kick up and come down without panic, you’re building confidence.

Recommended Gear: Movement Pad
Soft landings make all the difference when you’re learning to fall. The Movement Pad is portable, grippy, and perfect for these drills—use it indoors, outdoors, anywhere.

Step 2: Build the Strength to Hold Yourself Up

Next up is raw strength.

Not the kind for lifting barbells. The kind for stacking your whole body on two hands and staying there.

If you can’t support your weight upside down, you won’t balance for long. That’s why we focus on Wall Walks (my favorite drill for developing the right kind of strength.)

Here's how to perform the Walk Outs:

1. Start in a push-up position.

2. Walk your feet up the wall while stepping your hands closer.

3. Go as high as you can control—then reverse.

4. That’s one rep. Aim for 3–4 reps, 2–3 sets.

Progressing The Wall Walk

The goal is simple: go a little higher every time. You’ll feel your shoulders wake up fast, and over a few weeks, you’ll build pure control.

Combine this with supporting drills like down-dog shoulder flexions or scapular push-ups, and you’ll notice how much easier it feels to be upside down.

Recommended Gear: FatBar Parallettes
Wall walks and strength work are much more wrist-friendly (and stable) on parallettes. The added elevation gives you space and control, ideal for progression and longevity.

Step 3: Develop Control and Awareness

Now for the part everyone underestimates—awareness.

Being upside down is like being in a new body. You have to learn how to move your hips, legs, and spine without seeing them.

The best way to build that awareness? The Headstand.

This is where you refine your position, practice shapes, and start feeling alignment.

Don’t rush past it as headstands build the awareness you’ll use in your handstand later.

First, we start with a Toe-Assisted Tuck Headstand near a wall:

Here's how you perform it:

1. Make a triangle between your hands and head.
2. Walk your knees into your chest.
3. Slowly lift your toes off the ground.
4. When that’s solid, try tucking your legs, then extend the hips and legs for full headstand.

Progressing The Headstand

Use a folded mat or soft pad under your head (like the Movement Pad), and keep your movements slow and intentional.

As you get better, experiment: straddle legs, pike holds, tuck-ups. Video yourself if possible, it’s eye-opening to see what your body’s actually doing.

And remember, headstands aren’t just beginner drills. I still use them regularly as they sharpen your proprioception and balance, which translates directly to handstand quality.

Recommended Gear: Handstand A–Z Book

This book is my complete system: 500+ exercises, progressions, and cues I’ve developed over 15 years. You also get access to our training app where these drills are demoed and structured for progress. No fluff, no guesswork—just what works.

What’s Next: Learning to Balance

Once you’re stable in your headstand and comfortable being upside down, the next milestone is developing balance in a true handstand.

This is where all the previous work starts to come together.

All the falling drills, strength from wall walks, and body awareness from headstands.

At this stage, you’ll start exploring free balancing handstands, refining your alignment, and learning to make micro-adjustments with your fingers, wrists, shoulders, and hips.

It’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency. One second of balance becomes three. Then five. Then ten.

If you’ve built your foundation with intention, balance becomes the natural next step. And it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.

Addressing Common Handstand Struggles

“I’m too scared to go upside down.”
That’s why we start with falling. You’ll learn to trust the movement before ever needing to balance.

“I don’t have time.”
Even 10–15 minutes of focused training, 3 times a week, creates results. It’s about consistency, not intensity.

“I’ve tried before and gave up.”
Most people fail because they skip the fundamentals. Start with falling, strength, and awareness, and you’ll be surprised how fast you progress.

“Why do I need gear?”
Technically, you don’t. But if you want to reduce injury risk, learn the handstand faster, and simply get stronger — these tools help a lot.

They’ve helped me, and thousands of students too.

Final Thoughts: Let’s Get You Upside Down

Handstands aren’t about perfection. They’re about progress.

You don’t need a gymnastics background. You don’t need 5 hours a day. You just need a good plan, the right support, and a bit of patience.

Start by learning to fall. Build your strength with wall walks. Cultivate awareness with headstands.

And if you’re serious about mastering it, I built the Handstand Bundle specifically for you.

It includes:

• Movement Pad — fall safely, with a 100% sustainable, travel-f cork 

• Fatbar Parallettes — practise pain-free while getting stronger faster

• Handstand Book + App Access — over 500 structured progressions at your fingertips

• Movement Mat — Improves grip + tracks progress while handstanding

You’ve got everything you need. Let’s go, see you upside down.

—Sondre 💛