When I first started I had a hard time keeping the razor flat on the hone throughout the stroke if I was sitting down. I started honing standing up and things got better immediately. I learned to hone sitting down at work because the countertop is too low for me to stand but at home I still hone standing up.

I never have honed holding the stone in the palm unless it was refreshing the edge on a Swaty or a flat bed with chrom ox. Some guys say they get good results that way but I like a stationary firm base when I am honing.