Adho Mukha Vrksasana – Weekly Intermediate Class 165

How to kick up into a handstand. For many people learning how to independently kick up into a handstand can feel like a rite of passage in their yoga practice. It can act like a landmark that signifies progress and improvement. For others, handstand can feel like a roadblock. It can seem like an impossible obstacle that persists despite long periods of dedicated perseverance and practice. In a yoga studio this obstacle can be bypassed to a degree by having a teacher help you to get into the pose. This might involve a minor assist or it might be that the teacher needs to physically lift you into position. This can be a great way of experiencing the uplifting energy of adho mukha vrksasana but over time this might also begin to create a less beneficial quality of reliance and dependence in your practice. When practicing yoga at home most of us do not have someone to help lift us up into a handstand. We need to be more autonomous and independent in how we approach the pose. These are great qualities that can be cultivated by practicing yoga at home. This class explores different ways of learning how to kick up into a handstand. There are a multitude of reasons why you may be having difficulty with this pose. Different people will encounter different problems. Some of these problems might be more physical in origin and others might be more mental. We need a variety of possible solutions. This class begins with preparatory variations that will help you to acquire the strength necessary for handstand. It then includes poses that help you to gradually feel more comfortable in an upside down orientation. The class then explores different techniques for actually kicking up into a handstand. It troubleshoots common difficulties that might arise and offers tips and potential solutions for overcoming them.