Do you want to get a handstand, but you’re not even sure if you’re strong enough or where to start? Most videos make it look like kicking up is the first step. It isn’t. If you’ve tried kicking up and it feels awkward, unstable, or like something just isn’t connecting, that’s actually normal. And honestly, it’s not a bad attempt. It just means you’re missing the real starting point. What we’re aiming for long-term is a straight handstand. Not the banana shape where the core isn’t engaged and the lower back takes the load. That banana position can still balance, but it’s harder on the body and harder to control long-term. The straight line is easier once you earn it. Before balance, before falling drills, before freestanding… We need to answer one simple question: Are you strong enough to support your body on straight arms? Good news: the strength requirement for a handstand is not huge. The hard part is everything else… being upside down, coordination, confidence, balance, and tiny stabilizing muscles. So here’s the actual first step 👇 🐻 Bear hops / Bunny hops (your handstand readiness test) This is one of the best ways to see if you’re ready to start handstands. • Start in a pike position, similar to a pike push-up • Arms straight the entire time • Push the floor away and try to “cover your ears” with your shoulders • Hop your feet lightly off the floor • Focus on keeping your elbows locked and shoulders active Bear hops = feet slightly apart Bunny hops = feet together Same concept, same benefit. If you can do this without your arms bending or collapsing, you’re strong enough to begin handstand training. That’s it. 🙌 One drill to build toward the handstand From that same pike position, start jumping a little higher. • Goal is to get your hips above your shoulders • Feet stay behind you, so falling isn’t scary • This is basically a “jumping pike handstand” • Over time, you’ll jump higher and control it more This drill alone teaches strength, confidence, and awareness upside down.

The muscle-up is one of the most misunderstood calisthenics skills. Not because it’s impossible. But because people mix techniques, progressions, and goals that don’t belong together. I just reviewed a muscle-up video from Ty, who’s part of this community, and honestly… he’s exactly where most people get stuck. You feel close. You’re strong enough. You’re pulling hard. But something isn’t connecting. That’s not random. Here’s the truth most tutorials miss. There are multiple types of muscle-ups, and each one sits on a different balance of strength vs technique. Some muscle-ups rely more on pure pulling power. Others rely more on timing, swing, and body positioning. If you mix these approaches without realizing it, progress stalls fast. No matter the style, one thing is always true. At some point, your chest has to get above the bar. If your pull-up can reach chest-to-bar height, you are physically capable of a muscle-up. Where people struggle is not dips. It’s not “needing more push strength.” It’s explosiveness, timing, and how the hips move with the pull. The hips matter more than people think. If the hips stay frozen, the transition fails. Every successful muscle-up involves the hips moving back and then driving up as the chest comes over the bar. This is why strong pull-ups, explosive pull-ups, weighted pull-ups, and high pulls matter more than endless bar dips. Technique work like light swing timing, knee drive, or controlled negatives helps you understand the transition. Strength work makes it reliable. And if you want the cleanest body control possible, ring muscle-ups teach the transition better than any bar drill. The key is this. You don’t train everything at once. You train the version of the muscle-up that matches your current ability, then layer the others later. That’s how progress actually happens. If you’re stuck feeling “almost there,” you’re probably missing one small but critical piece. 👇 If you want help dialing this in, comment “MUSCLE UP” and I’ll share the exact progressions and checks I use with athletes inside the community.

Today I did: 1. Warmups 2. 🐻Bear squats 3. 🐕Down dog 4. 🐈‍⬛Cat- front/reverse 5. 🐸Frog- front/reverse 6. 🐻Bear walk- front/reverse 7. 🐒Monkey 8. 🦀Crab walk 9. 🐎Horse 10. 🦆Half duck walk 11. 🦆Duck lunge 12. Cardio repeats of above from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2yyET-yFeQ *toughest today... crab, but none were easy :-/