Yasuko Zweng · aaiiaa

Hi, I'm Yasuko.

I teach beginners how to build a press handstand through connected, progressive practice.

The press can feel confusing when you have plenty of exercises but no clear idea of how they fit together. My work at aaiiaa is about helping you understand that connection: what your hands, shoulders, core, hips, and legs need to do together, and what to practise next.

You can begin learning press foundations before you can hold a freestanding handstand.

Start with the free guide Explore my teaching approach

Yasuko Zweng · Press handstand coach

How I teach

Build your press from the ground up.

I teach the press as an integrated movement. Each exercise has a purpose, and many exercises train several press components together: hand pressure, shoulder support, core compression, and control of the pelvis and legs.

Strength and mobility are part of the process. So are positioning, coordination, and timing. The aim is to understand how these pieces work together as you gradually take more weight into your hands.

My teaching progression moves through three stages of the skill:

01 / TAKE-OFF

Learn the press mechanics.

Develop weight transfer into the hands, active shoulder support, and pelvis control. Learn how these work together as the feet become lighter.

02 / HALFWAY HOLD

Build control in the float.

Practise a low L-shape or straddle balance. This stage gives you a place to work on compression, support, and balance before extending further.

03 / EXTENSION

Extend into the handstand.

As your control develops, work towards extending from the halfway position into a full handstand while maintaining support and balance.

Learning to press into a handstand and learning to hold a handstand are related skills, but they are different tasks. You can work on the foundations of the press without already having a freestanding hold.

Practice with a purpose

Understand what to work on next.

My Press Handstand Beginner's Program brings this approach into structured online video practice. It includes progressive training, a PDF guidebook, and personal practice-video feedback from me.

When you send your practice video, I look at how you are moving and reply with the adjustment I want you to focus on. That makes the guidance specific to what is happening in your practice.

You can also explore my free articles and videos to learn about hand placement, shoulder control, compression, balance, and common press difficulties.

Explore the beginner's program Read the free tutorials

A few starting questions

Where should you begin?

Do I need to hold a handstand first?

No. You can start with supported practice and press foundations. The program is designed to let you begin without an existing freestanding handstand hold.

What if my feet won't lift?

Look at how your weight transfer, shoulder support, compression, and pelvis position work together. The next useful step depends on your movement. My introduction to learning the float is a place to begin exploring these connections.