Shoulders · Bodyweight
Handstand Push-up Against the Wall
How to do the handstand push-up against the wall, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Kick up into a handstand with your heels resting against a wall for balance and your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your head toward the floor by bending your elbows, keeping your body tight, then press back up to full lockout. Use the wall only for balance, not to push off.
- 1Your shoulders, triceps, and core pressing your body up and down
- 2Your body tight and legs together with heels lightly on the wall
- 3A controlled descent until your head nears the floor, then a strong press
Common mistakes
- Arching your back or flaring your elbows out
- Kicking violently off the wall instead of moving with control
- Collapsing at the bottom; keep tension the whole rep
Muscles worked
The handstand push-up against the wall mainly works the front delts, triceps, forearms, upper abs, and side delts, with the lower abs, upper chest, upper traps, and obliques assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- ForearmsPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
Kovo programs the handstand push-up against the wall for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.