As a dedicated yoga student and trained yoga teacher, I make sure to set aside time each day for a mindful, movement based practice. While I have certainly progressed in many asanas, one posture in particular has always alluded me –Adho Mukha Vrksasana – also known as the handstand.
My goal for our Free Inquiry project, is to devote my energy and efforts into learning the theory behind the pose, mastering the preparatory postures and building the core strength required to enter and maintain a handstand for 5 seconds.
I believe the first step in this pursuit is changing my internal dialogue from: “This is impossible”, too “I CAN handstand!” That being said, I will attempt to approach this challenge with patience and a sense of humour, knowing the process could potentially take years..
In the next few days I plan to start gathering useful resources. This may include:
- Yoga textbooks
- Consulting with advanced practitioners
- Watching instructional youtube videos
- Reading about the success and failures of others
- Creating a daily workout plan to build core strength
- Becoming knowledgable about the risks and contraindications of this advanced pose
Questions:
- Why can I kick up into a handstand but am unable to stay?
- What muscle groups are involved in balance and stability?
- How long will it take me to hold the pose for 3 seconds or longer?
- Can my wrists withstand this level of daily strain?
- Will I be able to achieve this goal without injuring myself?