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Calisthenics · Gymnastics

Partner Counterbalance Hold

The Partner Counterbalance Hold is a standing balance where two people grip each other and lean apart. It trains grip endurance and trunk control while requiring coordinated movement.

Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.

  • Intermediate
  • Higher injury risk
  • Rest 45 sec

How to do it

  1. Face your partner with your feet hip-width apart, close enough to reach each other's forearms.
  2. Grasp each other's forearms just above the wrists with both hands.
  3. Together, slowly lean backward from your ankles until your arms are nearly straight.
  4. Hold the shared balance with your feet planted and your shoulders, hips, and ankles aligned.
  5. Return upright together on your agreed exit call.
  6. Release your grip once both of you are standing independently.

Form cues

  • Keep your knees soft.
  • Let your shoulders stay down.
  • Breathe steadily through the hold.

Common mistakes

  • Sitting back at the hipsReduce the lean until you can keep your body in one long line.
  • Pulling harder than your partnerMatch your partner's tension so neither person is dragged forward.
  • Hanging on locked elbowsKeep a slight bend in your elbows rather than forcing them fully straight.

Safety

A slipping grip or unexpected release can send either partner backward onto the floor. Sudden pulls can strain the wrists, elbows, or shoulders, especially as grip strength fades.

  • Practice only with an experienced, similarly sized partner after learning the grip and exit with qualified instruction.
  • Agree on an exit call before starting; call it at the first sign of slipping or fatigue.
  • Use a spring floor with secured landing mats covering both partners' potential fall areas, without gaps or raised edges underfoot.
  • Start with a shallow lean and short holds before increasing either.

If you have wrist, elbow, or shoulder pain, or difficulty balancing while standing, get advice from a physiotherapist before attempting this hold.

Muscles worked

Front
Back

Primary muscles

  • Forearms

Secondary muscles

  • Biceps
  • Core

Equipment

  • Gymnastics Landing Mat
  • Spring Floor

Sets and reps

Sets
2–3
Target
10–20 seconds
Rest
45 sec

Base the hold duration on whichever partner tires first.