About Ella

EllaJGymnast

I’m Ella, a teen acrobatic gymnast and handbalancer. At just 9 I held a freestanding handstand for 25 minutes, and at 10 I completed 415 press handstands in under 52 minutes. I’m a 4× Scottish Champion, 2× British Champion, and international gold medalist, proudly representing Scotland and Great Britain at major competitions.

The EllaJGymnast Six Phase Press System

YOUR PRESS HANDSTAND LIMITER DIAGNOSIS

Your assessment identified the physical capacity most likely blocking your press.Your result determines which section below applies to you.

IF YOUR LIMITER IS WRIST LOAD TOLERANCE

Before the feet leave the floor, the hands must accept the body's load.
If the wrists cannot tolerate forward pressure, the athlete subconsciously avoids leaning forward.
This prevents the press pathway from even beginning.This limiter disrupts the following phases:
Phase 1 - Load Acceptance
Phase 2 - Shoulder Elevation

Starter Drills

The goal is to become comfortable loading the hands with shoulders in front of the wrists.

IF YOUR LIMITER IS SHOULDER ELEVATION STRENGTH

The shoulders must elevate under load before compression can lift the body.
Without elevation, the hips have no vertical space to move into.This limiter disrupts the following phases:
Phase 2 - Shoulder Elevation
Phase 3 - Active Compression

Starter Drills

The goal is to create vertical lift through active scapular elevation.

IF YOUR LIMITER IS COMPRESSION CAPACITY

Compression is the active closing of the hip angle while maintaining shoulder elevation.
Many athletes mistake flexibility for compression strength.
Without active compression strength, the feet cannot lift from the floor.This limiter disrupts the following phases:
Phase 3 - Active Compression
Phase 4 - Hover Creation

Starter Drills

The goal is to lift the feet using hip flexion rather than spinal rounding.

IF YOUR LIMITER IS HOVER CONTROL

The feet must leave the floor without momentum while the shoulders remain in front of the hands.
This is the gateway phase of the press.This limiter disrupts the following phases:
Phase 4 - Hover Creation
Phase 5 - Mass Inversion

Starter Drills

The goal is to create lift without using momentum.

IF YOUR LIMITER IS BALANCE TRANSFER

Once the feet lift, the hips must pass through the shoulder line while balance is reorganised.
If this transfer fails the press collapses during inversion.This limiter disrupts the following phases:
Phase 5 - Mass Inversion
Phase 6 - Handstand Stabilisation

Starter Drills

The goal is to maintain elevation while transferring balance.

IF YOUR LIMITER IS HANDSTAND STABILITY

Once vertical is reached, the body must stabilise without losing shoulder height.
This phase converts the press into a controlled handstand.This limiter disrupts the following phases:
Phase 6 - Handstand Stabilisation

Starter Drills

The goal is to refine vertical balance while maintain elevation.

THE 14 DAY PLAN

Your plan is built from the drills in your limiter section above.Train this plan 4 - 5 days per week.Days 1 - 7
Perform the four drills listed in your limiter category.
3 sets of 8-10 reps per drill
Rest 60 - 90 seconds between sets.
Finish each session with 3 slow press attempts.
Focus on control, not height.
Avoid jumping or using momentum.Days 8 - 14
Continue the same drills but increase the intensity.
4 sets of 10-12 reps per drill
Rest 60 seconds between sets
Finish each session with 5 slow press attempts.
Focus on control, not height.
Avoid jumping or using momentum.Your goal is to improve the phase that was previously limited.

READY TO GO FURTHER

The 14 day plan introduces the key drills for your press limiter.
But mastering the press handstand requires a structured progression through all six phases.
The full press handstand training plan expands these drills into a complete system designed to build the strength, compression and control required for a true straddle press handstand.The full plan includes:structured progressions for all six phases
detailed compression development
hover and inversion training
handstand stabilisation drills
a complete press progression system

• Join the Waitlist

The press handstand is just one skill within a much bigger system.I teach handbalancing through a structured training approach that combines strength, flexibility, mobility, compression, balance, and acrobatic foundations.My goal is simple: to make handbalancing accessible to everyone.Whether you’re working toward your first freestanding handstand, building the strength for advanced skills, or refining control and balance, I break down the exact drills, techniques, and progressions that make improvement possible — step by step.Soon, personalised video feedback and training plans will be available, giving athletes direct guidance based on their current level and goals.Everything taught comes from the same methods that helped me hold a 25-minute freestanding handstand at age 9 and complete 415 press handstands at age 10.Wherever you are starting, the goal is the same:
helping you build the strength, control, and confidence to balance upside down.

• Apply for Personalised Coaching