CircoplexFor pole fitness students, strength coaches and instructors
Pole conditioning without a pole: start with your handstand
Straight-arm shoulder work at the wall, from circus hand balancer Ben Lowrey.
One short email a day for a week: a short film, a drill demo and one small thing to try, from Ben Lowrey. Free, for ages 18 and over.
Founding price £47 until 30 November 2026, then £67
Conditioning that isn't more crunches
Straight-arm strength
Push the floor away with locked arms: the strength inverts lean on.
At the wall, at home
Holds and taps that need a wall and a mat, no pole.
Open tight shoulders
Pulling tightens them; the stretches open them back up.
Memories
What learning with Ben feels like
Memories from our workshops, retreats and Circoplex Sundays, 2016–2019.
Flexibility course shoot with Vikki Earle 
Handstand workshop, March 2018 
Studio handstand class, October 2016 
Studio handstand class, October 2016 
Aerial studio workshop, October 2017 
Workshop day, May 2018
Watch free previews
Maintain a stable plank while tapping shoulders and bringing knees forward.
From the full library
Sound familiar?
- You couldn't invert in your first classes
- You don't know which strength is missing
- Planks and crunches aren't getting you there
- Studio time is the only time you train
In Ben’s words
Ben Lowrey started learning handstands in 2013, came to hand balancing through yoga and began teaching at the end of 2015.
“So, what this means is stop wasting your time doing planks and crunches.”
“Your core strength is not a limiting factor to your handstand for most people. Your shoulder strength is.”
“Keep your arms straight and locked. They should be like tree trunks. Push the ground away from you as hard as you can.”
What you get
- Free 7-Day Starter firstOne short email a day, before you decide anything.
- 4 full coursesAbout an hour each, including two on flexibility.
- 10 tutorialsStep by step, each with a written article.
- 43 daily drillsShort demos to follow at home.
- A 12-week programmeThe order to do it all in.
What pole fitness students get in the library
- Straight-arm shoulder strength at the wall
- Plank taps, walk-outs and pike weight shifts
- Tucks and compression shapes
- Opening shoulders tightened by pole
- A 12-week order you can add to studio training
Before you sign up
- “My studio runs conditioning.”
- Use this between classes. It's floor work you can do alone.
- “I need core for pole.”
- Some tricks do. Ben's view is that a handstand is limited by shoulders first.
- “I already do pole conditioning.”
- Add a straight-arm push. Most pole conditioning is pulling.
Pole conditioning questions
What happens after 30 November?
The founding price of £47 is for purchases made by the end of 30 November 2026, UK time. From 1 December 2026 the library costs £67. Buying at £47 gets you exactly the same access, and the same 14-day refund, as buying at £67.
What exercises can I do at home to get stronger for pole?
Handstand work at the wall: straight-arm holds, plank taps and walk-outs. No pole needed.
How do I get strong enough for pole inverts?
The library doesn't teach inverts. Ben's view is that overhead shoulder strength matters more than core for upside-down work, and the drills build it.
Ben says shoulders to the ears. My instructor says down and back. Who's right?
Both, for different jobs. Hanging from a pole is a pull; a handstand is a push, where the shoulders elevate to stack over the hands.
How often should I do it?
Short and often beats long and rare. Keep it off the day after a hard studio session if your shoulders are tired.
Why pay £47 when there are free videos?
The tutorials and drills are free. The library adds the full courses and the 12-week order.
Free tutorials to start with
The Ultimate Handstand Library
Over 5 hours of teaching across 4 courses, 10 tutorials and 43 drills, sequenced into a 12-week programme.
The tutorials and drills are free; the library adds the full courses and the programme that sequences them.
£47 including VAT, paid once.
Founding price until 30 November 2026, then £67.
Pay once — lifetime access*
*for as long as Circoplex runs, and at least 10 years from your purchase; if it ever closes, 90 days' notice and a download.
14-day refund, no questions asked: ask within 14 days of buying and get all your money back.
Payments are processed by Stripe/Link (Onelink, LLC) as merchant of record. Onelink, LLC sends your payment receipt, and the charge appears on your statement as LINK.COM* CIRCOPLEX. Circoplex sends a separate access confirmation.
The library is open now.
Who it isn’t for
- It is not a quick fix. There are no promised timelines: a handstand takes regular practice over time.
- It is not live coaching. The library is recorded teaching, so nobody watches or corrects your form.
- It is not for anyone a doctor or physiotherapist has told to avoid being upside down.
- Ben says himself that the press to handstand is not right for every body.
The free 7-Day Handstand Starter
One short email a day for a week: a short film, a drill demo and one small thing to try, from Ben Lowrey.