The Purple Guide to Learning Basic Handstands in 10 Days

I was totally green — never even attempted a handstand in my life. This guide is exactly what it says: a 10-day starter plan, not a magic pill. Day one was just learning to hold myself up against a wall, which sounds simple but I needed that. By day 10 I could hold a freestanding position for maybe 20 seconds, which shocked me honestly. It's honest about what you won't achieve too, which I appreciated. Knocked off one star only because I wanted a bit more on what to do after day 10, but the final chapter does point you in the right direction.

I bought this out of curiosity, not really expecting to follow through. The day-by-day structure kept me honest — you can't skip ahead because each session builds on the last. Day one was short but not easy; I realized my wrists were weak as hell. The intro chapter prepared me for that too. By the end, I wasn't doing a perfect handstand by any means, but I had a real foundation and the decision to keep going. Good purchase for someone genuinely on the fence.

This guide is a breath of fresh air. No nonsense, no hype, just a clear path from zero to a real handstand hold. I followed it strictly for 10 days — about 15-20 minutes a day — and by day 10 I could hold a freestanding handstand for a full 30 seconds. The day one intro set the perfect tone: concrete, encouraging, and honest about where I'd struggle. The troubleshooting chapter on day nine saved me when my kick-ups kept going sideways. Absolutely recommend to any beginner.

It's a solid little guide, but I think it overestimates how much progress a total beginner makes in 10 days if you're not naturally athletic. I'm a desk worker, 40 years old, and my wrists and shoulders protested early. The day one session was good — it showed me how weak I was — but by day 7 I was only just getting comfortable upside down against the wall. I didn't hit the 30-second freestanding hold, more like a 10-second one. Still, I wasn't expecting to be a gymnast. It's useful, just set your expectations realistically.

Three stars because I found the intro chapter excellent but the middle days a bit repetitive. Day one really set up what to expect — the wall holds, the wrist pain, the weird feeling of being upside down. That was genuinely helpful. But days four and five felt like they could have been one chapter. By day 10, I could do a handstand but it was ugly and shaky. The progress milestone table on day seven was realistic though. Overall, it's a good orientation for a complete newbie, which is exactly what it claims to be.

I've tried watching YouTube tutorials and always snapped out of it within five minutes. This guide gave me the structure I needed. Day one did exactly what it promised — a simple, short session that got me used to being upside down and gave me a real win at the end. I was skeptical at first, but by day 4 the wrist and body line technique on the wall felt natural. By the end, I had a 30-second hold, and it wasn't luck — I could reproduce it. Worth every penny, and I'm continuing my practice because of it.

As someone with zero upper body strength, I was terrified to even try. But the day one chapter was so grounding — it literally held my hand through the first wall hold and told me exactly where I'd feel the burn. That made all the difference. The guide is honest: you won't be a pro in 10 days, but you'll have a rock-solid basic handstand and clear next steps. I actually achieved the 30-second hold on day 10, but more importantly, I'm not scared of the wall anymore. Highly recommended.

I'm a yoga teacher who thought this would be too basic, but I bought it for a student who wanted handstand skills and appreciated the structured plan. The day by day is beautifully simple — day one just got them comfortable being inverted against a wall, which is where most newbies get stuck. The milestones table on day seven is realistic and encouraging. By day 10 they had a real foundation. The guide's honesty about what 10 days can and can't achieve is its greatest strength. I'll recommend this to all my beginner students.