Handstand Workshop with Dr. Robert Adams DPT

Handstand Workshop with Dr. Robert Adams, DPT

November 7-8, 2026 | Saturday and Sunday
Center for Embodiment, 3200 Marquart St, Houston, TX

Beginner 

Saturday, November 7 | 12:00-2:00pm | $150

Not sure where to start your handstand journey? Or maybe you’ve been practicing for a while but feel stuck and want guidance on building a solid foundation for more challenging hand balancing skills? This workshop is for you.

We’ll break the handstand down into its key components and help you identify what is holding you back and how to address it. We’ll cover shoulder mobility and strength, bodyline position and awareness, and the foundations of balance, while laying out a clear path toward your freestanding handstand.

You’ll leave with a better understanding of your own strengths and limitations, as well as a clear framework for how to approach your training going forward.

This workshop is designed for anyone from complete beginners to those working toward a consistent 5-second handstand.

[Register for Beginner]

Intermediate

Sunday, November 8 | 2:30-5:00pm | $180

Already comfortable getting upside down and ready to build a more consistent freestanding handstand? This workshop will help you develop longer holds, improve your control, and explore transitions between shapes.

We’ll break down the key elements of freestanding balance and shape changes, helping you identify what’s limiting your practice and how to address it. You’ll explore practical drills and progressions to improve your consistency, refine your technique, and gain greater control in your handstand.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of what to work on and a practical framework for continuing to develop your freestanding handstand.

Prerequisite: Comfortable holding a 45-second chest-to-wall handstand.

[Register for Intermediate]

About Dr. Robert Adams

PT, DPT, OCS

As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, hand balancer, and teacher, I combine clinical knowledge with more than a decade of teaching experience to help students build greater awareness, resilience, and confidence.

First introduced to handstands through yoga, I taught myself how to handstand as an adult, which gives me a firsthand appreciation for both the challenges and rewards of learning this skill later in life. In 2016 I discovered a more playful approach to hand balancing, acrobatics, and movement at Ape Co Movement School in Colorado, where I continue to train and teach.

Since then, I have continued to study hand balancing and learn from experienced teachers and performance artists. My teaching is rooted in the belief that there are multiple paths to learning a handstand, and finding the right path starts with understanding what is limiting the person in front of me. I use that information to create a practical path toward sustainable progress.

My experience learning handstands as an adult has also shaped how I teach. Building the physical qualities required for balance, including strength, mobility, coordination, and body awareness, is only part of the process. Confidence, fear, and the ability to adapt are equally important. I bring together my physical therapy background and teaching experience to help students understand not just what to practice, but why it matters.

When I’m not coaching or working as a physical therapist, you’ll usually find me baking, reading fantasy novels, or hiking somewhere off the beaten path.