10 Best Handstand Push-up Alternatives for Building Shoulder Strength

The 10 Best Handstand Push-up Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Handstand Push-up on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. 

   1. Handstand Push-ups

   95% match

   Delts · Advanced · Compound

   The same equipment, taken with an overhand grip.

   • Bodyweight

   How to perform it

   1. With your back to the wall bend at the waist and place both hands on the floor at shoulder width.
   2. Kick yourself up against the wall with your arms straight. Your body should be upside down with the arms and legs fully extended. Keep your whole body as straight as possible. Tip: If doing this for the first time, have a spotter help you. Also, make sure that you keep facing the wall with your head, rather than looking down.
   3. Slowly lower yourself to the ground as you inhale until your head almost touches the floor. Tip: It is of utmost importance that you come down slow in order to avoid head injury.
   4. Push yourself back up slowly as you exhale until your elbows are nearly locked.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Handstand Push-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Handstand Push-up
   • Body position: inverted, the same as the Handstand Push-up
2. Play demonstration

   2. Handstand

   80% match

   Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

   A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the triceps rather than the delts.

   • Bodyweight

   How to perform it

   1. Find an open space with enough room to perform a handstand.
   2. Place your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
   3. Kick your legs up towards the wall, using your core and shoulders to maintain balance.
   4. Once in a handstand position, engage your triceps to support your body weight.
   5. Hold the handstand for as long as you can maintain balance.
   6. To come down, slowly lower your legs back to the ground.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 sets.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: triceps, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Handstand Push-up
   • Body position: inverted, the same as the Handstand Push-up
3. Play demonstration

   3. Exercise Ball Pike Push Up

   79% match

   Pectorals · Advanced · Compound

   A looser match: it works the pectorals rather than the delts.

   • Stability-ball

   How to perform it

   1. Start in a push-up position with your hands on the floor and your shins resting on the stability ball.
   2. Engage your core and lift your hips up towards the ceiling, rolling the ball towards your hands.
   3. Keep your legs straight and your body in a pike position, forming an inverted V shape.
   4. Bend your elbows and lower your upper body towards the floor, keeping your head in line with your hands.
   5. Push through your hands and extend your arms to return to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Handstand Push-up
   • Body position: inverted, the same as the Handstand Push-up
4. 

   4. Double Kettlebell Snatch

   71% match

   Delts · Advanced · Compound

   A good swap when you have a kettlebell to work with, and it still works the delts.

   • Kettlebell

   How to perform it

   1. Place two kettlebells behind your feet. Bend your knees and sit back to pick up the kettlebells.
   2. Swing the kettlebells between your legs forcefully and reverse the direction.
   3. Drive through with your hips and lock the ketttlebells overhead in one uninterrupted motion.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Handstand Push-up
   • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only
   • Body position: standing, not inverted

5. 5. Double Kettlebell Jerk

   69% match

   Delts · Advanced · Compound

6. 6. Kettlebell Thruster

   69% match

   Delts · Intermediate · Compound

7. 

   7. Clean And Jerk

   67% match

   Delts · Advanced · Compound

   A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the delts.

   • Barbell

   How to perform it

   1. With a barbell on the floor close to the shins, take an overhand or hook grip just outside the legs. Lower your hips with the weight focused on the heels, back straight, head facing forward, chest up, with your shoulders just in front of the bar. This will be your starting position.
   2. Begin the first pull by driving through the heels, extending your knees. Your back angle should stay the same, and your arms should remain straight. Move the weight with control as you continue to above the knees.
   3. Next comes the second pull, the main source of acceleration for the clean. As the bar approaches the mid-thigh position, begin extending through the hips. In a jumping motion, accelerate by extending the hips, knees, and ankles, using speed to move the bar upward. There should be no need to actively pull through the arms to accelerate the weight; at the end of the second pull, the body should be fully extended, leaning slightly back, with the arms still extended.
   4. As full extension is achieved, transition into the third pull by aggressively shrugging and flexing the arms with the elbows up and out. At peak extension, aggressively pull yourself down, rotating your elbows under the bar as you do so. Receive the bar in a front squat position, the depth of which is dependent upon the height of the bar at the end of the third pull. The bar should be racked onto the protracted shoulders, lightly touching the throat with the hands relaxed. Continue to descend to the bottom squat position, which will help in the recovery.
   5. Immediately recover by driving through the heels, keeping the torso upright and elbows up. Continue until you have risen to a standing position.
   6. The second phase is the jerk, which raises the weight overhead. Standing with the weight racked on the front of the shoulders, begin with the dip. With your feet directly under your hips, flex the knees without moving the hips backward. Go down only slightly, and reverse direction as powerfully as possible.
   7. Drive through the heels create as much speed and force as possible, and be sure to move your head out of the way as the bar leaves the shoulders.
   8. At this moment as the feet leave the floor, the feet must be placed into the receiving position as quickly as possible. In the brief moment the feet are not actively driving against the platform, the athletes effort to push the bar up will drive them down. The feet should be split, with one foot forward, and one foot back. Receive the bar with the arms locked out overhead. Return to a standing position.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Handstand Push-up
   • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only

8. 8. Jerk Balance

   67% match

   Delts · Advanced · Compound

9. 9. One-arm Kettlebell Clean And Jerk

   65% match

   Delts · Advanced · Compound

10. 10. One-arm Kettlebell Jerk

    65% match

    Delts · Advanced · Compound