Since I’ve gotten a lot of questions on how I built my DIY handstand canes, I decided to do a little “how to” so you can build your own handstand canes and blocks!
I built my DIY handstand canes and blocks for about $30. My dad had spare wood and screws lying around, in addition to all the tools needed. But, building your own will definitely be cheaper than buying and will allow you to personalize them as you want! I built these canes over a year ago, so they have had their fair share of wear and tear. But, they are still going strong! These canes go to and from the gym most days and across the country on my clinical rotations and road trips. My favorite part about them is that they transport (well maybe it’s that they allow me to hand balance anywhere with flat ground)!
Specs:
- Two ½ inch plywood 12 inch x 12 inch (adjustable for different shoulder widths and fit in a backpack for easy transport)
- 12 inches high
Materials List:
- 1/2 inch plywood cut into two 12 in x 12 in squares
- Two 1/2 inch galvanized pipes cut at 12 in (it’s cheaper to get a 24 inch pipe and have it cut in half for you at Home Depot…just make sure it’s cut exactly in half!)
- Four 1/2 inch flanges
- Two 2 x 4’s (1.5 in x 3.5 in) cut at least 1-2 inches longer than the tip of your knuckle (proximal interphalangeal joint) to the bottom of your palm/wrist joint.
- Four 1/2 inch screws
- Four 1 inch screws
- Saw (a table saw will be easiest)
- Sander or sandpaper
DIY Handstand blocks:
This is the same process as the 2×4 pieces for the top of the canes, but without the flanges attached. You can make as many as you want. You may want to make these slightly shorter…maybe 1 inch longer than the tip of your proximal interphalangeal joint to your wrist. If you like thicker blocks, you can just use a 4×4 piece of wood instead, just don’t forget to sand the edges!
DIY Handstand Canes Assembly:
Once all your pieces are cut, sand all sides of the canes slightly and make the edges the slightest bit rounded. This just makes sure they don’t dig into your hands. Then screw one flange to the middle of one of the 12 inch x 12 inch pieces of wood for the base using the 1/2 inch screws. Repeat for the other base. Next, screw one flange to the middle of the 2 x 4 piece for the top of the cane. Repeat for the other top piece.
Your canes are now done! All you have to do is screw the pipe into the flanges when you want to use them! Be careful to not screw them on too tight because they may get stuck. A trick is to loosen the bottoms slightly then loosen the top slightly, then completely disassemble the canes.
If you want some more DIY equipment, check out my Salmon Ladder/Squat Rack Plans!
As always, I love hearing from you guys. Feel free to comment below, email, or DM me with any questions, comments, concerns, or whatever! You can see a ton of ideas of things to do on the canes on my Instagram page, @paradigmofperfection.
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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
Awesome info, thanks for sharing I’m going to give it a go!
Thank you! So happy to help! Let me know if you come across any questions while building them and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Hi, I am just seeing this 4 years after your posting and want to make them. They have been requested by my daughter so I don’t know how to use them. It would be helpful if you linked a video you have for how they are used because I am not sure what those extra handstand blocks are for. Thank you for posting!
You can find some videos on my Instagram or TikTok, but here’s a link to an example of how to use it: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcdrLWerJFB/?igshid=YWJhMjlhZTc=