What do you mean by "lift out of the shoulders"? I do practice Anusara, and for me, the toughest part of handstand is softening the heart forward. You can pull your shoulderblades down toward your waist (I'm assuming that's what you mean) all you want, but if you keep the chest concave, you're never really going to balance.

If you look at the fourth set of pictures in the link you provided, the ones following the line "All you then need to do is straighten your legs into a handstand. Simple eh...", you'll see what I mean. The picture on the left, where his legs are still bent, that's what's meant by softening or melting the heart. Imagine if he were to continue to press the back of his head up against the wall while straightening the legs -- could you see how he would line up the way you're desiring? Pressing the fingertips down more would help as well to get that plumb-line effect.

You asked if it's a common problem. Oh yes. Well, more a common difficulty than problem. For me, once I melt my heart, my lower back curves as well, and I go into what's commonly called banana-back. And then you get what I call the push-me-pull-you effect: you fix one thing, and another goes; you fix the second and you've lost the first. That's the balance that is Yoga. Learning to play and have patience with all that is what the practice is all about.

Keep at it. You'll be fine. I can't balance yet either.

Om Everyone,

I’ve been working on handstand, off and on, for number of years. It takes a long time. On a good day, I can press it up and hang for five or six breaths before coming down. I do not use the wall. I’ve found recently to control the posture from the hip sockets: gently rotating inward with inhalation, tailbone to the sky, and outward with exhalation, squeezing the buns. This was a breakthrough for me. Here are a couple more unconventional things I’ll share but that might not be for everyone. Try it and see.

Let your head hang down, relaxed, rather than looking at the floor. Look to the edge of the room as your horizon. Think of yourself as lifting the floor overhead, and press up with inhalation. Sounds impossible, but it comes in time: exhale as you load the weight, feet spread wide and close to parallel inline to the hands (5-6 inches in front), press up to your tip-toes, heels rotated outward, and then inhale as your feet leave the floor, rotating elbows and armpits inward, reaching out and away with your toes. You will feel lift. No jumping.

If you can train your body to press up with inhalation in this way, the day comes when you will just roll upward through rotation of the joints. Strength here is control and balance. And Nick is right. Try to avoid the wall. Don’t launch yourself. Just press up as best you can, hold and breathe and come back down. Give yourself the time it takes. It took me a couple years. Kicking up against the wall will not serve you in the long run.

It’s a sublime posture. Have fun. Good luck. Emil

browntoes - 2008-06-13 3:44 PM Any tips, prep poses that will encourage me to get that slow lift away from the wall? I can do that wall thing but I really want to work towards the slow lift. In Anusara, we are still kicking up - only now I dont have a wall and I am going to hurt myself or someone in the process . Thanks

We worked on the non-kickup method in class today, though it was with a partner assist and with separate legs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBD1axxMkAA&feature=related

We had the option of either attempting it as in the video, starting on the block, or having the partner offer resistance to the lifted leg so that the other legs just lifts as the body weight shifts over the hands. Most of us practiced this near the wall, but there was no kicking up involved. I did try the block variation, but still had someone just guide my hips over my shoulders, for security. She said I was barely an inch away from levering up by myself though.

Hari Om,

Great news. You see? You may already have much of the strength you need to do this, however it's a matter of concentration and finding the balance and coordination. Technique is strength here.

"A summer of work." That's about right. Good perspective.

If pressing up with inhalation seems impossible, then by all means, exhale. But keep in mind, as you exhale, you're holding and contracting many muscles that need to lengthen. Make sense? So do what you must, but don't give up on the inhalation forever. Maybe in the future you reverse it. Ok?

Never give up! Please keep me posted.

Jai!

Emil

Hello Nick,

Let’s first take a look at principle: How exhalation/inhalation relates to stability, mobility and strength.

When we exhale, we have to hold the stabilizing muscles in the core of the body that support mobilization (those used in part to raise and invert the body in this case). When we initiate with inhalation, we have to let those muscles go, and we are forced to derive the strength through shifting balance and changes in alignment and form. That’s a fundamental aspect of any balancing asana. Also, this strengthens the deepest stabilizer muscles, which are closer to the bone and have more stamina (slow twitch fiber), so when you do reach the top, your muscles aren’t burning and you can stand relaxed.

Now then, if you’re trying to exhale out of a forward bent position into handstand, erector abdominus, obliques, intercostals, etc., are first shortened and held, so there’s a struggle happening. You have to hold to exhale and yet lengthen them to raise the body. It can be done, yes, but you tire quickly and fall. You want to reach the top and be a pillar? You want to float? Exhale load the weight, inhale turn and press.

There’s no magic. This is difficult, and most folks will not be able to do this. But you have only to reach a single degree of success to understand the power of this principle. Even if you can never do it, you want to know this. I can only hold this for 6 or 7 breaths on a good day, but it’s getting better. As I said, I’ve recently learned how to control the balance in the hips. I had to be standing for a few breaths first before it occurred to me. That took some years.

One thing you can do, is rock up onto your hands if it helps. This is different from jumping. Try putting your hands down with exhalation, and then inhale as you follow through with just a little momementum. Momentum here is not the same as jumping and catching.

I hope this will not discourage you. It’s a very long journey, and one to be enjoyed.

Om

Emil

Nick,

I'm touched by your sincerity. Perhaps you've learned too much.

"There's no such muscle as erector abdominus, you must be getting confused with something else."

Yes. I'm confusing it with Rectus Abdominis. Is there a difference? Sorry for my casual latin, although it really does mean the same, doesn't it (function and location)?

That's right. The deepest stabilization tissue is engaged during inhalation. It's exactly why you'll inhale instinctively when you suddenly loose your balance. This you already knew too?

It's very easy to get lost in words Nick. If you're are already doing the handstand in this way, great! I look forward to the day when you can help me get to the 50 breaths.

Om Shanti,

Emil