Handstand (ah-doh moo-kah vriks-SHAHS-anna) adho mukha = face downward (adho = downward; mukha = face) vrksa = tree Like its inverted relation to Forearm Balance and Headstand, a major obstacle to Handstand is the natural feeling of fear of falling. Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) with your fingertips an inch or two away from a wall, hands shoulder-width. If your shoulders are tight, turn your index fingers out slightly; otherwise arrange them parallel to each other. If you’re not comfortable about this pose, dont worry about, try agin another time. Use a wall or a couch to help your fear to fall. Begin to secure yourself in this inversion, firm your shoulder blades against your back torso , pull them toward your tailbone. Breathe, Then rotate your upper arms outward, to keep the shoulder blades broad, stay firm no noodle arms, and hug your outer arms inward. You need to spread your palms and press the bases of the index fingers firmly against the floor. Next slowly bend one knee and step the foot in, keeping legs engage, active extending through the heel, take a few practice leaps, before you launch yourself upside down, pushing through the heel to straighten the left knee. As both legs come off the ground, engage your deep core abdominal muscles to help lift your hips over your shoulders send feet to wall, stay there for 3 to 5 breaths, then try up and down once again for several times to build your trust and take the fear slowly away. At each time pushing off the floor a little higher. Exhale deeply each time you leap off Heres an info taken to share from yoga journal about its benefits and caution Contraindications and Cautions Back, shoulder, or neck injury Headache Heart condition High blood pressure Menstruation If you are experienced with this pose, you can continue to practice it late into pregnancy. Dont, however, take up the practice of Adho Mukha Vrksasana after you become pregnant. Modifications and Props One way to modify Handstand is to brace the crown of your head against a padded support placed on the floor between your hands. A supported head stabilizes your position and is a great confidence booster. But getting exactly the right height can be tricky: if the height is too low, your head wont be braced; if its too high, your neck will get scrunched. Use a yoga block for a base, then pile two or more folded blankets (or a bolster) on top. How high you build the support will depend on the height and the length of your arms. Experiment with different heights until you feel like you have the right one, then position your hands on the floor to either side of it. Walk in from Adho Mukha Svanasana until you can brace your crown on the support and the back of your head against the wall. Then follow the instructions above for moving into the pose. Deepen the Pose Lifting the head to look at the floor is an advanced movement. Be sure not to jam the base of your skull into the back of your neck. Imagine as you lift your head that someone is holding a softball against the nape of your neck. This will help maintain the cervical curve. Also, to lift your head, initiate the movement by pressing your shoulder blades more deeply into your back. Brace your crown against the wall. Then take one heel away from the wall and strongly extend it toward the ceiling. Bring that heel back to the wall and do the same with other. Finally try to take both heels off the wall and balance with only your crown against the wall. Preparatory Poses Adho Mukha Svanasana Bakasana Pincha Mayurasana Plank Pose Supta Virasana Tadasana Uttanasana Virasana Follow-up Poses Sirsasana Pincha Mayurasana Beginners Tip Many beginners find it difficult to keep their elbows straight in this pose. Buckle a strap and loop it over your upper arms, just above your elbows. Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder width and adjust the strap so that it is snug against your outer arms. Then use the strap in the pose, but think of pushing the arms slightly in, away from the strap, rather than letting them bulge out into the strap. Benefits Strengthens the shoulders, arms, and wrists Stretches the belly Improves sense of balance Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression Partnering A partner can help you get a feel for the movement of the tailbone. Position her in front of you as youre in the pose. Have her wrap her arms around your pelvis, gripping one wrist in the opposite hand, and cradle the sacrum. Then she can pull the back of your pelvis up, lifting your tailbone toward your heels. Variations You can vary this pose by placing your hands in different positions. For example, you can narrow your hands inside shoulder width, which decreases your base of support and so develops your sense of balance. Or you can turn your hands outward, which will teach you how to externally rotate the upper arms.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 21:50:47 +0000
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