INVISIBLE WALL

[rydra_wong]

HANDSTAND. I CAN HAZ.

A few minutes ago, I kicked up into handstand about 20cm away from the wall, and instead of landing my feet on the wall, somehow I stopped at vertical. And stayed there. Only for a second or two, but long enough to be amazed.

Oddly, it seems easier to go straight into it than to kick up into a handstand against the wall and then get off the wall.

There's also something shifting in my understanding of the alignment; practicing the other day, I had a sudden sense of it as standing on my hands, just like standing on my feet in tadasana, rather than as a balance or inversion. If that makes any sense at all, which I'm not sure it does. But that's what it felt like today when I held it.

Comments

[erika]

Congratulations! That's amazing!

As a side note, are you overweight? I am heavily so and I'm beginning to think handstands are just going to be impossible for me unless & until I lose some.

[rydra_wong]

Nope, I'm in the "normal" weight category (scare quotes fully intended).

OTOH, my arms are fairly weak when it comes to push rather than pull movements, and for me, handstand feels much more like an exercise in balance and stability rather than strength. Way less strength required than for push-ups or overhead presses, at any rate.

So (easy for me to say, I know) I don't think being overweight should necessarily be a barrier, though it may make it harder. Though obviously you're the one who knows your own body and has a sense of what's feasible for you.

What sort of stage are you at with handstands? Where are you running into trouble?

[erika]

I can do assisted shoulder stands (i.e. against a wall or using a chair), but that's about it.

[rydra_wong]

Shoulder stand's really different, though, IMHO.

If you take the possible progression down dog --> handstand with feet on a chair --> half handstand --> handstand against the wall, where are you currently at?

(Er, assuming you want me brainstorming and babbling at you. I tend to be a bit MY INFORMATION LET ME SHARE YOU IT, and after several decades, I have learnt that this is not always what people find helpful or supportive.)

[erika]

No, I find your babbling really helpful.

Okay, given that progression, I'm at downward dog. Heh.

[rydra_wong]

Cool. So I'd say, next, try the modification with a chair (you don't need the bolster, it's just nice if you've got one).

If that's a struggle, you could move the chair further away from the wall so your arms are closer to a down-dog angle (though you need to ensure that the chair's braced so the backwards force doesn't tip it). Then edge it closer to the wall over time.

Stealing from this article, I'd suggest working on plank and half down dog as well, to strengthen your shoulders and get the feel of bearing weight through them without collapsing in your back.

All IMHO, YMMV, etc..

But for what it's worth, three or four years ago I'd have laughed at anyone who told me I would one day be able to do a handstand. It was firmly on my mental list of things that are Not For Me, Not Ever. And it's been a really long, slow progression, propelled at various points by extreme boredom and a severe desire not to be in my own head.

But progress has occurred. Much to my surprise.

And ultimately, getting into the pose is kind of a party trick; it's really cool, but the important stuff is what you acquire on the way there, in terms of shoulder alignment and stability and balance.

(Which is also easy for me to say when I'm basking in smugness at my newfound achievements. Still true, though.)

P.S.

[rydra_wong]

You've found this, right?

http://sun-salutation.dreamwidth.org/28050.html

Re: P.S.

[erika]

I did read that originally but thank you for calling it to my attention again! That is a MOUNTAIN of useful information!

[muck_a_luck]

Awesome! :D

[rydra_wong]

I was very surprised, as I hadn't been consciously planning it! It just felt like I could stop when I got to vertical, so I ... did.

[indywind]

Awesome!

I'm playing more with handstand prep lately (well, when not having a sinus headache or wonky blood pressure). It's inspiring to 'see' someone else advance their practice, and the advice (to erika) is great for me too. I am doing more half-handstands and contemplating pushing up from headstand if only I could get my headstand stable. Balance is not my best thing.

[rydra_wong]

Ah, see, I'm nowhere near being able to push up from headstand to handstand. That needs more arm strength than I've got (though I can dream -- one day!).

For regular handstand, you just need to be able to keep your arms locked, which requires much less power.

Balance is not my best thing.

This is why we have walls. *g*

[indywind]

Hooray for walls: making balancing poses accessible to the balance-challenged since, well, pretty much ever.

[weirdquark]

Woo!

You inspired me to try kicking up into an unsupported handstand myself (still against the wall, but without anything under my head) and I made it! Only was able to hold it for about a second before my balance failed me, but it was awesome.

[rydra_wong]

ROCK ON. Isn't it amazing to find you can do something like this?