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Can't Kick Up Into Handstand Moderators: Moderators Jump to page : 1 2 Now viewing page 2 [25 messages per page]	View previous thread :: View next thread
Yoga -> Iyengar Yoga	Message format

Posted 2009-03-11 3:23 PM (#114464 - in reply to #114463)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand

jimg - 2009-03-11 2:18 PM

I hope that I am not practicing an illegal pincha mayurasana!!!

five yard penalty, repeat first down.

patient@44

Posted 2009-03-11 3:54 PM (#114468 - in reply to #114464)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand

Hi Tourist,
I like the sound of the iyengar method of getting into a handstand and for the most part, I think that is my approach since, as I said before, there is little chance to do it slowly and mindfully during a primary sequence or when I'm in a vinyasa class at my studio. So when I practice handstands, it is independent of other asanas and like Karmann, I too sort of 'kick up' one leg at a time without putting too much force or velocity into it and then when in the asana, attempt to balance without assistance from the wall.

Now with pincha mayurasana, I had my first exposure to it today and was only able to get to the prep position while others in the class lifted up one leg at a time, most with bent legs. I knew I wasn't remotely ready to attempt the full posture for two reasons: my shoulders felt tight and I felt I couldn't get my hips over my shoulders (like I do in headstand before I lift) and I wasn't sure how much of a backbend occurs in this pose. From pics and seeing others, there seems to be a bit of a one, eh?

By the way, though I practice ashtanga, I find other approaches enriching and very helpful. I started in iyengar and appreciate its focus on alignment. So I hope nobody minds me co-opting a thread

Nick

Posted 2009-03-11 7:31 PM (#114473 - in reply to #114463)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand

Location: London, England

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/coretest.htm

Hiya,
interesting you should mention pincha-take a look at the core stability strength test on the above site, and see how the plank position is basically pincha mayurasana, only with greater flexion of the shoulder joints (and hip and spine extension, otherwise it's a headstand). I use this posture and it's variations in my classes and own practice to provide a bridge to understanding bandha in movement as well as posture. It's well worth spending a few months giving this test a try, in my opinion-very difficult, but can be a good end to classes as part of the finishing postures-should wipe out the enthusiasm of those still keen to do more

. In my experience, very few have the core strength to complete this test well-keeping the hip and shoulders in the same plane, with the spine in optimal position(low spine in neutral, sometimes with back pain patients, it's best to extend the hips so that the low spine is slightly flexed).
As a tip to completing the test, try to pull yourself into the greatest position of tension on the abdominal muscles-this will also aid in pulling the shoulder blades into retraction and depression, which is also exactly what you want to lift into all the inversions. it basically involves pulling a bit more of your body weight over your arms, again, as discussed, another feature of lifting into inversions.

Nick

patient@44

Posted 2009-03-11 10:58 PM (#114483 - in reply to #114473)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand

Wow, what a test...I think I can do the first 60 sec and then....well we'll see. But if that don't work the core, I don't know what would!

mustardasana

Posted 2009-06-23 2:21 AM (#116619 - in reply to #114181)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand

I recently got myself into handstands at the wall for the first time thanks to the following instruction from my Iyengar teacher: start in Adho Mukha Svanasana facing the wall with the hands close to the wall, walk the feet close to the hands, then rather than thinking about kicking the legs to come up, think about throwing your butt toward the wall. Also, look down at the floor while you're coming up. Sounds goofy but the throwing your butt toward the wall part was the key for me. Hope that helps someone!

Bay Guy

Posted 2009-08-19 10:35 PM (#117821 - in reply to #114181)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand

Expert Yogi

Posts: 2479
2000

Location: A Blue State

There's a lot great input here, and so I'll simply add some comments on my personal experience with handstand.

I think that "kicking up" at a wall is straightforward, if you've the arm strength, so I assume that the question is really whether to kick up in the middle of the room. I've seen some folks, Tony Sanchez for example, who can kick up without effort. For me, kicking up was a gateway to one fall after another, and sore wrists to go with it, and it was two years of practice before I learned (and gained strength) to lift up to handstand. This is relatively simple, in that you can put your hands on the floor, walk the feet toward them and pull the pelvis up until you have just toes on the floor. Then you have a choice - take the legs out sideways, moving toward a handstand split and full handstand (this is definitely easiest on the wrists) -- or bend the knees as you bring the upper leg vertical, then straighten the lower leg to full handstand -- or (most difficult, requires more ab and shoulder strength, and is also most stressful on the wrists) lift into handstand with straight legs.

Looking back over these posts -- for explosive effort, I have to come down on the side of control rather, than a hopeful expulsion of energy. If one looks to Ashtanga yoga, it's the difference between jumping back and floating back. Floating = strength + control. I don't think that explosive effort is a good long term practice, although I do think it's necessary sometimes while learning/building strength.

For the comments on Ashtanga [glorious, glorious Ashtanga,...which I comingle with my Iyengar practice]... to do the Ashtanga practices fully requires considerable shoulder, upper back, and abdominal strength .. e.g. for the navasana --> handstand transition, for bakasana --> handstand, for karandavasana, for handstand --> urdhva kukkutasana --> handstand, etc. These things are the result of long-term [strength building] practice for most people who do them, and you don't have to have that kind of strength for handstand itself. You build a lot of the strength for handstand by learning to float back instead of jumping back in the Ashtanga Surya Namaskara.

But I think that the whole question has to go full circle. Handstand at a wall is an excellent practice, and it is much much easier on the wrists than handstand in the middle of the room. You build arm strength at the wall, you get an inversion at the wall, you will not fall onto your back or in some terrible way on your wrists/shoulders at the wall, your wrists do not experience so such force, and you get to look at everyone else in the room instead of the floor at the wall.

The wall simply deprives you of the ego stuff that goes with walking to the middle of the room and smugly lifting to handstand, with straight legs, and then dropping into chaturanga, going updog, downdog, and jumping into titthibasana, then bakasana back to handstand, then urdhva kukkutasana, jump to chaturanga....I have dreams about these things, even when I can't quite do them.

... bg

tourist

Posted 2009-08-20 9:54 AM (#117831 - in reply to #117821)
Subject: Re: Can't Kick Up Into Handstand