Today in my shoulder training day I sprinked in a tiny bit of handstands and handstand push ups. Why? I like to keep training fun and interesting, so I’m not bored just lifting weights around. Also, I’m interested in how it will work to improve my shoulder development. I used to have uber-ripped shoulders back in the day, and that was when I was doing more gymnastics/handstands/breakdancing/boxing. In the years since those activities are not my focus, my shoulders have gotten smaller. Sadly. So I’m thinking of throwing in some handstands for fun, and to challenge my shoulders! Although I am really trying to target hypertrophy in my exercise, the handstand push up has an added benefit of improving upper body control and balance! You hit a host of stabilizer muscles when balancing under the resistance of your own bodyweight.
(me doing a handstand freeze back in the day)
According to Wikipedia, the handstand push ups “increase the load on the triceps brachii muscles significantly over regular pushups, with the arms having to hold almost 100% of the body’s weight rather than an average of 60% during normal pushups. Load is also shifted from the Pectoralis major muscle to the Anterior deltoids and Lateral deltoids due to the shoulders exerting in adduction while externally rotated, rather than transverse flexion. The upper fibres of the trapezius are also involved in elevating the shoulders. In free-standing handstand pushups, the core muscles and hand muscles are both used to keep the body balanced, from falling over back, forward, or to either side, and to maintain posture. This makes it a much stronger exercise for the wrist flexors, core and legs compared to regular pushups.”
Okay, I’ll take it. Yes, I’m mixing functional training into my bodybuilding regime but I MAKE THE RULES!!!!! bwahahaha…
til next time… XOXOX
NOV