Are you asking is a handstand easier than a headstand?
The short answer is NO! (Although there are some exceptions.)
Let me explain why.
The handstand has a smaller base of support, i.e. your two hands, rather then the two hands and your head that are commonly used in the headstand.
The leverage of your body is also longer in the handstand then in the headstand, making your center of gravity higher, and thus it harder to balance.
For these two reasons handstands are not easier then headstands.
Here are the exceptions:
1 – You have cervical problems that don’t allow you to put weight on your head. If it causes pain or injury then a handstand may be easier then a headstand.
2 – If you’re talking about the hands-free headstand then yes the handstand is easier then this very advanced skill. To learn how to train the hands-free headstand click here.
Hey Logan, do you think it is worth persevering with headstand and forearm stand work even when your handstand progress is moving along well? I.e do you think its worth keeping up developing various headstands and forearm stands indefinitely in parallel with other handbalancing?
I have recently been working on traditional forearm-supported headstand, as well as a full forearm stand, and the amount of effort in the shoulder girdle is incredible.
I know a yoga guy who swears by working just as hard on other inversions as he does on the handstand. For example, he can do amazing transitions from crow stand, to tripod headstand, to backs-of hands-supported headstand, to forearm supported headstand, to full forearm stand, then back down into side crow, all without letting his feet touch the ground. Within these inversions he also does some very cool torso and leg twists and leg lowering at various angles.
@Rob White: Absolutely. That’s what my Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start is built around. You work on the easier moves before even working on a freestand handstand. And just like you said when the basic variations are easy you can move onto tougher ones.
As for should you always keep going with them, that’s going to depend on your goals. I’ve been doing some of that transition stuff lately too. Maybe I’ll post a video soon.