Shoulders · Bodyweight
Wall Handstand
How to do the wall handstand, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Vertical Press
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand facing away from a wall about one leg's length away. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart and kick one leg up, followed by the other, until your heels gently touch the wall. Press through your hands and keep your arms straight, engaging your core to maintain a straight body line. Hold the inverted position for the desired time. To come down, lower one leg at a time back to the ground.
- 1Feel your shoulders, triceps, and core stabilizing as you balance upside down
- 2Press through your hands and engage your glutes to align your body
- 3Keep your head neutral and gaze between your hands
Common mistakes
- Avoid arching your back; maintain a hollow body shape
- Don't let your elbows bend; lock out with shoulders elevated
- Avoid collapsing into your wrists; distribute weight evenly
Muscles worked
The wall handstand 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 wall handstand 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 April 2026.