Handstand Kick-Up Practice

A clear wall space (no pictures, shelves, or furniture nearby)

A soft surface in front of the wall — grass, gym mat, or thick carpet

Find a wall with nothing on it and clear floor space in front. Place a mat or make sure the surface is soft. Face the wall.

Place your hands flat on the ground about 6 inches from the wall base, shoulder-width apart. Fingers should point toward the wall.

Get into a short lunge: one foot close to your hands, one foot back about 2-3 feet. The back leg is your kicking leg.

Look at the ground between your hands (not at the wall). Kick your back leg up toward the wall. At the same time, push off with your front foot.

Let both feet contact the wall. You're in a wall handstand! Arms should be locked straight, body in a line from hands to toes.

Hold for 5-10 seconds. Breathe. Keep arms straight. Look at the ground between your hands.

Come down gently: one foot at a time, stepping down to the lunge position. Never fall sideways.

Practice until the kick-up is smooth and controlled — not a wild throw of the legs, but a deliberate, powerful kick.

The wall is your friend. It removes the fear of falling over and lets your child focus on getting upside down and building arm strength.

Locked arms are critical for safety. Bent elbows collapse, and that means a face-first landing. "Straight arms like sticks" is the coaching cue.

The most common fear is kicking too hard and going over. The wall prevents this. Once they trust the wall, the kicks get stronger.

Start with short holds (3-5 seconds) and build to 30 seconds. Arm endurance grows quickly with daily practice.

Once wall handstands feel easy, try moving hands 1 inch farther from the wall. Eventually, they'll be doing a freestanding handstand.