Kick-Up Into Handstand (L-Shaped Handstand)

One of the very first handstands you will practice will be the L-Shaped Handstand.  We visit handstands often during our practice - even in the very beginning stages of yoga we work those muscles while in Adho Mukha Svanasana or DownDog.

I offer a few tips in this short video below about how to align the bones before kicking into handstand as well as how we use BOTH legs to kick into handstand.  I highly encourage you to visit my previous post on Divorcing the Wall and learning to Cartwheel out of your Handstand.

This is very helpful when falling into a backbend isn't in your practice.

Just a few Handstand Tips!

1. Find yourself in Adho Mukha Svanasana.  Be sure your hands are firmly planted with palms suction cupped to your mat.  Spread those fingers wide and ensure your middle finger is pointing to the top of your mat.  You will be using your palms and gripping with fingertips when moving into handstand.  This is your foundation!  Be sure to hug those elbows in toward center or in toward each other - as if a strap were looped around your biceps and triceps keeping your arms from bending outward.  Eye of elbow turned forward to externally rotate your biceps.
2. Walk your DownDog in so it's quite a bit shorter, look between your thumbs and align or stack your shoulders over your wrists.  Take a tiny step in with your left foot, and raise your right foot.
3. You are prepared to kick into handstand!  If this feels like a lot right here before kicking - then you will practice this ONLY! Engage the belly - pull your belly button to your spine as well as knit your ribs together - visualize someone tying your lower ribs tight - together.  Also envision your low ribs squeezing down toward your hip bones.  Almost like a 'crunch' when we do our sit ups - but to maintain this firmness in the belly without a rounded back.  
4. Bending your left leg - you may practice a sort of pulsing the right leg up toward the ceiling - still no kicking yet!  This will help you feel the role of your right leg and how it will kick while the left leg presses against the floor.
5. Springing from the floor with your left foot AT THE SAME TIME you kick up toward the ceiling with your right foot - Keep the shoulders stacked over wrists.  We don't take Handstand from DownDog - we take it almost from a Forward Fold.
6. Practice taking 2-3 breaths or more between kicks!  This isn't adult gymnastics - THIS IS YOGA!  Be mindful.  Don't let that ego get in the way.  If you feel that this is very challenging then you will stop at one of the previous steps. Take Childs Pose often as well as some wrist stretches after you practice to protect your wrists and forearms.  Twists and shoulder stretches also help after you practice upper body strength postures such as this.

As you watch my video - you will see i don't have to kick up very hard.  This is key.  I also show how to walk your feet up the wall - facing the wall. A hallway is a great tool to use when facing the wall and walking the feet up into a pike position or an L position.  Holding this handstand alone is a HUGE workout and will prepare you to feel what you need to before kicking up.

If your feet just won't come off the ground - even with a hard kick - then honor that and continue to practice.  Do not injure yourself.  Faith & patience are what yoga is about.  It's seeing how you tend to approach things in life.  Do you push yourself hard enough?  Too hard?  Do you push past injury?  Do you approach the posture one step at a time or all at once?  Are you aware of your breathing or have you stopped?  All questions to ask yourself - especially when practicing a posture that has fear attached and inversions tend to have a lot of FEAR attached.  How do you approach your fears?  If you're unsure how you approach your fears - try yoga!  Ha!  Believe me - it'll help you find yourself and help you to know how to overcome those pesky emotions that block you from joy and happiness. Handstand would be one of those postures.  If handstand just isn't in your practice or may never be because of an injury - then stay tuned as I will try to offer many options for fun inversions that help you overcome your fears!

Thanks for sticking with me & enjoy this short video on how to approach your L-Shaped Handstand and Kick up into it!  More to come!

Happy Practicing!

Namaste,

Jenny

Divorce The Wall - Cartwheel Out of Handstand!

One of the most helpful things I learned to do early in my yoga practice was to cartwheel out of my handstand.  Even if you're super new to yoga or just learning basics - you are learning to eventually balance your weight on your hands!  Someday, in your practice or maybe you're already there - you will feel your body invite you upside down on those hands!  We practice this most commonly in our Sun Salutations as we jump back to Chaturanga or jump forward from Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog) into Uttanasana (Forward Fold).  There will be other times we might visit our handstand as well - Standing Splits, Half Moon are just a few other postures in which we might plant your hands and kick up into handstand moving back into our vinyasa.  If any of these poses sound confusing or you have no idea what I'm talking about - THATS OK!  If you stick with yoga - you will :)

I've posted this very short video to teach you how to tap into that inner child and Cartwheel!  Cartwheel often! The more you practice Cartwheels, the easier it will feel when moving into handstand to feel yourself cartwheel out instead of falling back into a back bend.

In conjuction with this video I will post another short post about kicking up into handstand.  These two practices - kicking into handstand as well as cartwheeling out of handstand are helpful when practiced together.

Happy Practicing!

Namaste,

Jenny

Supported Headstand - Sirsasana

One of the most exhilarating aspects of yoga for me has been my ability to conquer balance upside down.  Headstand was the first "scary" inversion I attempted to learn.  I will share with you some things I've learned over the last 18 months as I continue to learn Headstand :)

Supported Headstand - Sirsasana

• From hands and knees, come down to your forearms and hug your elbows with your hands.  This is how far apart your elbows should be and STAY as you move into headstand.
• Clasp your hands with the outside of the pinky fingers on the mat and the inside of your clasped hands, your palms, will be on the back side of your head.
• Place the crown of your head in that space prepared for it.  The crown of your head down on the mat (as if standing in Tadasana or Mountain Pose, with neck long, and chin slightly angled down).  
• As you engage your abdomen muscles or core, press into your toes, straightening your legs as much as you're able and come into a "headstand downdog".  At this point, you may feel a lot of pressure on the top of your head.  Press into your forearms, and allow the shoulders to square away from your ears, providing a solid base for you.  30-40% of your weight will be in your head - 30% in your core center - 30% in your legs.  
• Walk your toes in close to your face - bringing your hips high over your shoulders.  This requires some hamstring flexibility, so this may be difficult and thats ok!  Work with where you are and stop anywhere along the way!
• As your hips come over your shoulders, you may find some lift in the toes OR you lift one foot and tuck that knee into your chest. You may find some lift here.

NEVER kick into headstand!  Use a wall for support if needed. ***Stop anywhere along the way!

See Videos below - This will show you some ways to enter Headstand, finding lift, instead of kicking in.  It also provides some insight as to how to move away from the wall and tuck and roll out!  Remember, when your feet are extended up in the air, your balance will be harder!  The more you keep your knees bent, or legs extended wide, you may find some stability here.  One more tip - as you extend your legs - FLEX YOUR FEET!  This keeps the legs engaged and sends energy upward and not sinking into your head.  

This video shows tucked knees in and stag legs - bottom left box will show the struggle to want to kick into headstand if feet are too far away from face and hips are not over shoulders.

This video will show how to "tuck and roll" or fall out with soft surroundings :)

This video will show how to bring your feet wide.  This helps with those who struggle with hamstring flexibility.

Remember - This is your journey!  Take a look at my first headstand, and keep in time this took me diligent work.  Everyone learns their inversions in their own time. Don't compare as this will make the body feel as though it isn't "performing" for you and it will not feel safe and loved.  You want to love your body into these postures.  Allow your body to invite you in, when it's ready, not when you think it is.  

Shoulderstand - Salamba Sarvangasana

Shoulderstand is considered the Mother of all asanas!  The benefits for this pose are amazing!  There are several variations as shown above.  All of which provide the same benefits for you.

Shoulderstand Pose - Salamba Sarvangasana

1. Use of a mat or folded blanket (as shown in top right pic) under the shoulders is very beneficial and comfortable.  Anytime a blanket is used, it sends the message of safety to the mind and body, which is very important in making strides in your poses.  Please use props in your practice!
2. Begin by lying flat on your back - two options as you move into this posture
1. Option 1: Bent Knees - You may bend your knees and bring your heels in closer to the buttocks.  Keep your hands flat on the mat beside your hips, press into your hands as you draw your knees up and into your chest and over your head (as seen in bottom left pic).  Bring hands to hips for support.  Tuck your triceps underneath you, squeezing the elbows in toward each other.  Keep your core engaged the whole time!
2. Option 2: Straight Legs - Lying on your back with legs extended straight, hands palm down next to your hips.  Press your palms into the mat and engage your core as you draw your feet up and over your head, slowly and mindfully!  Bring your hands to your hips and tuck triceps underneath you.  You may clasp your hands, drawing shoulder blades together underneath you, or keep hands on hips. 
3. DO NOT MOVE YOUR HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE :)  This could literally break your neck.  Be very delicate as you move in and out of this position and don't forget to keep you Ujjayi breath strong!  The reasons and benefits will be listed below.

Beginner/Restorative - Legs Up The Wall Pose

A wonderful and calming version of Shoulderstand

• Lie on your back with a bolster or blanket rolled or folded under your hips.
• Bring hips in close to a wall and allow your legs to extend up the length of the wall.
• Arms may be on your belly or extended out beside you with the backs of the hands resting on another blanket (again, helping the body to feel safe and relax more readily)
• A set of blocks or another bolster or heavier pillow may be placed on top of the feet.  This is also very calming.

Advanced Shoulderstand Variations

• As hands are clasped underneath you, squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep the neck in a nice C curve.  Keep some weight even dispersed between neck and triceps.  This is your base, or where you're rooted.  Keep your Mula Bandha engaged here as you slowly move your legs in this position see below.  Squeeze inner thighs together and keep the entire body aware and engaged.

• While legs are extended above you, feel free to move your legs into a Lotus Position and bring the knees in close to your face.  Be very careful of the neck, by keeping some weight in the shoulders as you give your knees a hug. This is a very calming position, only when your body is ready for it and you have the strength, balance and flexibility. (see pic below)

Benefits of Shoulderstand

• Stretches shoulders and improves upper flexibility of your spine
• Improves digestion
• Uses your Jalandara Bandha which stimulates and cleanses your Thyroid
• Helps relieve symptoms of Menopause
• Flushes the lunges of mucous.
• Relieves stress and is quite calming.

Cautions

Do not practice this posture if you have the following conditions

• Pregnancy
• Heavy menstruation
• High Blood Pressure
• Eye or inner ear infection
• Extreme headache or migraine
• Diarrhea
• Neck or back problems

Always remember as you practice, to allow your body to move into postures safely, allowing your body to invite you there.  It isn't about the destination, its all about the journey - that is where we learn and grow the most...and in essence, the journey is the destination.  Love your body into postures.  It will respond to you :) Namaste