Headstand Pushups

[Sternford]

I apologize if this has been answered but my search did not reveal anything.

I can do a small kipping headstand push up and can do a negative headstand push up, but for some reason when I try to just do a straight, non-kipping headstand push up it feels impossible to get my head off the ground. Should I just work on the negatives more? Would it possibly help to try some kind of elevated negatives on books or something?

[Blairbob]

when you lower your head to the ground at the bottom, don't release that tension before you press up.

[Sternford]

I mean in the book one of the variations has you do a push up but does not require you to lower down, so that tension isn't even built up. "This variation of HeSPU only requires enough balance for a controlled ascent, a controlled descent is not required. At the top of the movement, you may roll out, pirouette or step down. Kick back up into another headstand and continue for the desired number of repetitions."

[Richard Duelley]

I would say keep working the negatives but when you reach the bottom of the negative give it everything you have to keep your head just above the ground. Basically you have a sticking point at the ROM where your head touches the floor so to work that out try some static holds at that point. When I was working on this same problem I lowered down in the negative and then when my hair touched the floor (I have a short crew cut) I did a 10 second (or however much you can manage, 5 10, 20 seconds or whatever) static hold at the sticking point. You can also try slowing your negatives down even more, or have someone spot you on the HeSPU. Remember the spot should make the rep barely possible. :twisted:

[Sternford]

Wow, now there's my problem. I did a negative against the wall like you said and tried to hold it right above the floor, couldn't even make three seconds