Shoulders · Bodyweight
Kipping Handstand Push-up
How to do the kipping handstand push-up, 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 hands slightly wider than your shoulders, heels against a wall for balance. Lower under control until your head nears the floor, then drive your knees up and snap them down as you press explosively back to a full handstand, using the kip to power through the press.
- 1Shoulders and triceps pressing explosively as the kip fires
- 2Knees driving up then snapping down to power the press
- 3Core and body staying tight and stacked over the hands
Common mistakes
- Arching the back or flaring the elbows wide
- Collapsing at the bottom and losing tension
- Timing the kip late so the legs and press fight each other
Muscles worked
The kipping handstand push-up mainly works the front delts, triceps, forearms, upper abs, and side delts, with the lower abs, upper chest, upper traps, obliques, and hip flexors assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- ForearmsPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
Kovo programs the kipping handstand push-up 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.