Handstand Pushup Vs. Military Press

Handstand pushups and military presses both work your shoulder muscles and also hit your triceps, pectorals, core and upper back. Both exercises have unique advantages and disadvantages in terms of ease of performance, progression, effectiveness and other factors. Military presses, for instance, are easier for beginner lifters to manage, while handstand pushups are a great way to set yourself a gym challenge, due to their high degree of difficulty. Your best bet is to include handstand pushups and military presses in your routine to get the benefits of both.

  1. Techniques

    • For military presses, hold a bar at shoulder height with your hands shoulder-width apart. Press the bar straight up over your head until your arms are completely straight, pause, then lower the bar under control. All the force should come from your upper body and your legs must remain fixed throughout the movement. To do a handstand pushup, face a wall, plant your hands firmly on the floor. Next, kick your legs up so you're in a handstand position facing away from the wall with your heels resting against it. Bend your arms until your head is just above the floor and push all the way back up again.

    Difficulty

    • Military presses can be as easy or as difficult as you need them to be. The only difficulty you may find is if you have a weak lower back or core, and struggle to perform the exercise without arching your lower back. In this case, you're better off starting with seated shoulder presses to reduce strain on your spine. Handstand pushups on the other hand are extremely difficult to master. Unless you're extremely strong, you won't be able to perform perfect repetitions straight off the bat. Strength coach Nia Shanks recommends starting with a modified handstand pushup, for which you perform a regular pushup, but with your feet raised on a weight bench. As you become competent at these, progress to full handstand pushups. It's advisable to have a training partner present to help you balance.

    Progression

    • The easiest way to progress both exercises and make them harder is to increase total volume by adding sets and reps. If you start with five sets of five reps for either, moving to six sets of five or five sets of six in your next workout will help you progress. Alternatively, you can try more difficult variations. Handstand shoulder presses involve performing handstand pushups, but with your hands on boxes or weight benches. This increases your range of movement and makes the exercise much harder. For military presses, try slowing down the negative portion of the rep or adding more weight to the bar. You can also add weight to handstand pushups by wearing a weighted vest.

    Drawbacks

    • Safety is a big consideration when performing handstand pushups -- even with a partner, there's a risk of falling. The potential rush of blood to the head can make you feel dizzy and disoriented, which can lead to problems. Overhead pressing can be dangerous if you have poor shoulder mobility or have suffered from a rotator cuff injury, notes coach Eric Cressey of Cressey Performance. Both exercises, however, when performed with perfect technique are safe for the average, healthy lifter.