Why My Handstand Push-Ups Always Felt Wrong, by Doctor Yaad on YouTube. 26 min 57 s.
- Video length
- 26 min 57 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Film a set of floor handstand push-ups from the side and front. Note where the wrist, elbow and shoulder hurt or feel awkward compared with parallettes.
Set your hands slightly wider than shoulder width with fingers spread. Press through the base of the index finger and thumb, not just the heel of the palm.
Check that your elbows track forward and slightly out rather than flaring straight to the sides. Keep the wrist stacked under the forearm.
Rotate the shoulders so the pits face slightly forward and the upper arms sit in external rotation at the bottom. This is the main fix for the awkward feeling.
Test overhead mobility: stand with your back to a wall, ribs down, and reach both arms overhead without arching the lower back. Note how far they go.
Run the overhead mobility drill from the video for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 slow reps per side. Keep the ribs down and breathe.
Retest the floor handstand push-ups right after the drill. Compare the feel and depth with your first set.
Build the fix into your plan: warm up with the drill, then do handstand push-up sets with the new hand and shoulder position. Film one set each week.
Tips and common mistakes
If the wrist still hurts, use parallettes or push-up bars while you build mobility instead of pushing through pain.
Keep the ribs down during the overhead drill so you do not fake range with your lower back.
Change one thing at a time, hand placement first, then shoulder rotation, so you know what helped.
Questions
Why do handstand push-ups hurt on the floor but not on parallettes?
Parallettes let the wrist stay neutral and give more room for the shoulders. On the floor the wrist extends and the shoulder needs more external rotation and overhead range.
How often should I do the overhead mobility drill?
Do it as part of your warm-up before handstand push-up work, most training days. Keep reps slow and stop before the lower back arches.
Can I keep training handstand push-ups while fixing this?
Yes, but reduce volume and use parallettes or a reduced range if the floor version still hurts. Pain that sharpens or lasts after training is a sign to back off.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
