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One of the most exciting poses people really want to learn when they start yoga is Adho Mukha Vrksasana, or handstand.

It might seem like a far off dream or an almighty challenge to turn upside down, let alone hold your balance. But with the right tips and techniques, your handstand journey will be off to a flying start.

If you are beginner, I promise that you’re in the right place. Will you be standing on your hands tomorrow? Probably not, but with some mental dedication and repetition your muscles will begin to adapt to the posture. Like learning anything new, it just takes practice!

Ready to rock a handstand? Let’s get started…

Create a Stable Foundation

Handstand is quite an intense posture on the hands and wrists. As a beginner, it’s really important to learn how to build a stable foundation in the hands. These yoga drills by Cody are perfect for building strength and stability in the palms, fingers and forearms. And when you’re ready for full handstand try to root through the hands like you do with your feet. The finger tips and heals of your hands should grip the floor, acting as tool to balance the weight of your body forward and back.

Strengthen Your Shoulders

A short handstand sequence by Yoginiology that focuses on shoulder stability and strength. All yoga inversions require a lot of shoulder work and proper alignment of the shoulder girdle. Much like how the shoulders work in downward dog, there should be a straight line from the shoulders to the hips in your handstand. Learning how to balance when your upside-down can be tricky but as you train your muscles, this process will become more intuitive for both mind and body.

Work on Your Core

Core, core, core – it’s central to your practice and central to your handstand. By building stronger core muscles you will have greater control in this posture. These muscles help to pivot the hips and prevent you from falling backwards. In this tutorial Patrick Beach will have you doing planks, hollow holds and leg hops. When you get really good, those core muscles will come in handy for straight leg press handstands and other more advanced variations.

Practice Safely – Tuck Your Knee

A great tip for beginners who are too afraid to venture into the world of yoga inversions. The truth is there are many ways to practice this advanced posture safely and without the fear of falling. This  wonderful handstand flow with Kino Yoga will have you practicing away from the wall in no time. By tucking the knee into the chest, the hips can be more easily shifted forward. So you won’t have to worry about your legs going all the way over!

Use a Wall

Handstands can be a little scary, so there’s no shame in using a wall. It’s the best place to start practicing whatever level you’re at. This mini flow with Yoga TX will have you practicing your handstand at the wall the right way. The L-shaped hold simulates the position of full handstand without testing your balance. And when you get really good at kicking up into a handstand at the wall, try taking it into the room with the tutorial above.

Most of all, don’t put yourself under pressure to get your handstand before you’re ready. When we try new things there is a tendency to want to run before we can walk but frequent practice will get you there in just the right time. Enjoy the journey!

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