Handstand Push Ups WODs for Upper Body Muscle and Strength

Add these Handstand Push Ups WODs into your training and build better upper body strength and muscle.

Handstand Push Ups Technique

• Face a wall in a standing position.
• Kick your feet up so you’re in a handstand position against a wall.
• Squeeze your abs, glutes and thigh muscles.
• Lower yourself toward the ground as far as possible.
• Push back up and repeat.

WOD 1 – JJ

For Time
1 Squat Clean (185/135 lb)
10 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
2 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
9 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
3 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
8 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
4 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
7 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
5 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
6 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
6 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
5 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
7 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
4 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
8 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
3 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
9 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
2 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups
10 Squat Cleans (185/135 lb)
1 Parallette Handstand Push-Up
With a running clock, complete the prescribed work in the order written as fast as possible (“For Time“). For the Parallette Handstand Push-Ups, only the top of the head must pass below the top of the Parallettes.

Score is the time on the clock when the last round of the Paralette Handstand Push-Ups is completed.

Handstand Push Ups WODs 2 – Ledesma

AMRAP in 20 minutes
5 Parallette Handstand Push-Ups (6″ Deficit)
10 Toes Through Rings
15 Medicine Ball Cleans (20/14 lb)

Handstand Push Ups WODs 3 – Diane

21-15-9 Reps For Time
Deadlifts (225/155 lb)
Handstand Push-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform 21 Deadlifts and 21 Handstand Push-Ups, then 15 Deadlifts and 15 Handstand Push-Ups, then 9 Deadlifts and 9 Handstand Push-Ups.

Score is the time it takes to complete all 90 reps.

Good Times for “Diane” (estimate)
– Beginner: 10-14 minutes
– Intermediate: 6-9 minutes
– Advanced: 5-6 minutes
– Elite: <4 minutes

Tips and Strategy

If possible, go unbroken on all sets of both the Handstand Push-Ups and the Deadlifts. If unbroken sets aren’t a possibility for you yet, then break the reps down into as big of sets as you can realistically hold through the whole workout. Rest very minimally (3-7 seconds) between sets during “Diane”–this WOD is basically a sprint.

Intended Stimulus

“Diane” should feel uncomfortably fast and moderately heavy. The Deadlift weight should not feel too heavy or too light–it’s somewhere in between. It’s common to see athletes take 20+ minutes to complete this workout because the load was too heavy and the skill level was too high. Scale so you can perform this WOD as it was intended to be performed: very fast and mostly unbroken.

Scaling Options

“Diane” is meant to be done quickly (shoot for 10 minutes or less) and relatively unbroken. The Deadlifts should feel moderate. Scale the load and/or skill level (see: Handstand Push-Up Scaling) so you can move fast through this WOD.

Intermediate
21-15-9
Deadlifts (155/105 lb)
Push-Ups

Beginner
21-15-9
Deadlifts (95/65 lb)
Incline Push-Ups