Revolutionize Your Workout: Planche Push-Up vs Handstand Push-Up – Find Out Which Is Better for You!

The quest for upper body strength and power often leads us to explore challenging exercises. Two exercises that stand out in this pursuit are the planche push-up and the handstand push-up. Both exercises are incredibly demanding, requiring significant strength, stability, and control. But which one is right for you? This blog post will delve into the intricacies of each exercise, comparing and contrasting their benefits, difficulties, and progression paths.

Understanding the Planche Push-Up

The planche push-up is a highly advanced bodyweight exercise that demands exceptional strength and stability. It involves pushing yourself up from a horizontal position, with your body parallel to the ground, supported only by your hands. The planche itself is a static hold where you maintain this horizontal position, while the planche push-up adds the dynamic element of pushing yourself up and down.

Benefits of the Planche Push-Up

The planche push-up offers a wide range of benefits, including:

• Unparalleled upper body strength: It targets the entire upper body, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles.
• Improved shoulder stability and mobility: The planche position requires significant shoulder stability and mobility, which translates to better overall shoulder health.
• Enhanced core strength: The core plays a crucial role in maintaining stability during the planche push-up, leading to a stronger and more functional core.
• Improved body awareness and control: The planche push-up demands precise body control and awareness, which can enhance your overall athleticism.

Understanding the Handstand Push-Up

The handstand push-up is another advanced bodyweight exercise that requires significant strength and balance. It involves pushing yourself up from an inverted position, with your hands on the ground and your body in a handstand.

Benefits of the Handstand Push-Up

The handstand push-up offers a unique set of benefits, including:

• Immense shoulder and triceps strength: It primarily targets the shoulders and triceps, building significant strength in these muscle groups.
• Improved balance and coordination: Maintaining a stable handstand position requires excellent balance and coordination, which can enhance your overall athleticism.
• Increased bone density: The weight-bearing nature of the handstand push-up can contribute to increased bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
• Improved cardiovascular health: The handstand push-up elevates your heart rate, providing a cardiovascular workout.

Comparing the Two Exercises

While both exercises are incredibly challenging, they differ in their primary muscle activation and technical requirements:

• Muscle activation: The planche push-up engages a wider range of muscles, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. The handstand push-up primarily targets the shoulders and triceps.
• Technical difficulty: The planche push-up requires more stability and control due to the horizontal body position. The handstand push-up requires excellent balance and coordination.
• Progression paths: Both exercises have distinct progression paths. Planche progressions often involve variations like the tuck planche, half planche, and full planche. Handstand push-up progressions involve variations like wall handstand push-ups, elevated handstand push-ups, and finally, freestanding handstand push-ups.

Choosing the Right Exercise for You

The choice between planche push-ups and handstand push-ups depends on your individual goals and strengths.

• If you prioritize overall upper body strength and stability, the planche push-up is an excellent choice. It targets a wider range of muscle groups and demands exceptional core strength.
• If you prioritize shoulder strength and balance, the handstand push-up is a great option. It specifically targets the shoulders and triceps and requires significant balance and coordination.
• If you are new to advanced bodyweight exercises, start with progressions for both exercises. This will help you build a solid foundation and gradually increase your strength and control.

Mastering the Exercises: A Step-by-Step Guide

Both exercises require a systematic approach to progression. Here’s a general guideline:
Planche Push-Up Progression:
1. Wall Planche: Start by practicing the planche position against a wall. This helps you build shoulder stability and control.
2. Tuck Planche: Progress to the tuck planche, where you bring your knees towards your chest. This reduces the leverage required.
3. Half Planche: Gradually straighten your legs to reach the half planche position.
4. Full Planche: Focus on maintaining the full planche position before attempting the push-up.
5. Planche Push-Up: Once you can hold the full planche for a few seconds, you can start practicing the push-up.
Handstand Push-Up Progression:
1. Wall Handstand Push-Up: Start with wall handstand push-ups to build strength and control.
2. Elevated Handstand Push-Up: Progress to elevated handstand push-ups using a box or bench.
3. Freestanding Handstand Push-Up: Once you can perform several reps on an elevated surface, try freestanding handstand push-ups.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Variations

Once you master the basic versions of these exercises, you can explore advanced variations to further challenge yourself.
Planche Push-Up Variations:

• Planche Push-Up with a Twist: Add a twist to the push-up motion, engaging your obliques and improving core stability.
• Planche Push-Up with a Pause: Pause at the top or bottom of the movement to increase the time under tension and challenge your strength.

Handstand Push-Up Variations:

• Handstand Push-Up with a Clap: Add a clap at the top of the movement for a dynamic and explosive variation.
• Handstand Push-Up with a Headstand: Transition from a handstand to a headstand at the top of the movement for a challenging and unique variation.

The Final Verdict: Planche Push-Up vs Handstand Push-Up

Both the planche push-up and the handstand push-up are incredibly effective exercises that offer unique benefits. The choice between them depends on your individual goals and preferences. If you prioritize overall upper body strength and stability, the planche push-up is a great option. If you prioritize shoulder strength and balance, the handstand push-up is a fantastic choice. Remember to start with progressions and gradually work your way up to the full exercises.

Popular Questions

Q: How often should I train for these exercises?
A: It’s recommended to train for these exercises 2-3 times per week, giving your body adequate rest and recovery time.
Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid?
A: Common mistakes include improper form, lack of core engagement, and rushing the progression. Focus on proper technique and gradually increase the difficulty.
Q: Can I use equipment to assist with these exercises?
A: Yes, you can use equipment like bands or a spotter to assist with the exercises, especially during the early stages of progression.
Q: How long will it take to master these exercises?
A: The time it takes to master these exercises varies depending on your current strength level, training consistency, and genetics. It can take months or even years to achieve mastery.
Q: Are these exercises suitable for everyone?
A: These exercises are not suitable for everyone. Individuals with pre-existing shoulder or wrist injuries should consult with a healthcare professional before attempting them.