A man says doing a handstand every day for nearly a year has been “fantastic for my mental health” as he looks to complete a social media challenge.

Robin Johnson has been performing the feat every day since August in an attempt to get more Instagram followers than his daughter.

The father-of-two says that while it can be embarrassing, he is determined to complete the challenge.

The Argus: Robin, centre, doing a handstand with daughter Emily, left, and her boyfriend Tom PearseRobin, centre, doing a handstand with daughter Emily, left, and her boyfriend Tom Pearse (Image: Andrew Gardner | The Argus)

Interior designer Robin, 58, said: “I have a lot of fun with it but I’m still not over the embarrassment of doing it in public.

“My family think it’s ridiculous, I would love to tell you that they are incredibly impressed but they just laugh and ridicule me.

“It’s good for your mental health to do something like that. I quite like having the routine of doing it.”


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Robin, who lives in Hove, started doing handstands around two years ago and began posting his exploits on his Instagram, @mydailyhandstand.

He has posted a new handstand every day since August in a bid to gain more Instagram followers than his daughter Emily, 26.

He currently has 227 followers on the social media platform.

He has documented his handstands across Brighton and Hove including in front of the i360, Royal Pavilion and other landmarks.

He has also completed a handstand in the middle of Times Square in New York but that “no one batted an eyelid” unlike when he does them in public in Brighton.

The Argus: Robin being filmed doing a handstand by his daughter EmilyRobin being filmed doing a handstand by his daughter Emily (Image: Andrew Gardner | The Argus)

He said: “I have always scoffed at the power of social media but my daughter has a whole network of friends on there that I can’t compete with.

“There’s a whole community of people on Instagram and some really interesting people doing amazing things.”

He is not sure if he will continue the practice after reaching the year-mark and may instead look at other forms of exercise.