DYLAN AYALOO IS THE MAN ON THE MAT
HANDSTAND (ADHO MUKHA VRKSASANA)
Benefits
- Strengthens arms, shoulder, back and core muscles
- Trains physical balance.
- Develops a humility and confidence, as falling is part of the pose.
Common Mistakes
- Jumping or hopping up too vigorously which causes loss of balance and then to want to give up.
- Not spreading the fingers out and not using fingertips as brakes, causing the practitioner to fall forwards.
- Assuming it’s all about strength rather than using stacking of joints to make the pose lighter i.e. putting in too much effort rather than tapping into the effortlessness of the pose.
Tips
- Keep at it and persevere, not from forcing or feeling like a failure, but being encouraging to yourself.
- Spread your fingers out as that maximises surface area and contact with the ground which brings stability to the pose.
Awareness
Breath awareness is paramount for connection to the body and acuity balance both in the body which reflects through the mind and vice versa as they’re both intrinsically linked. Maintain a kind, gentle, fun and loving approach to yourself through the pose rather than beating yourself up for not doing good enough or not being able to stay up the first time. This one takes practice like most poses. Enjoy the expansion both of ability in your body and capacity of mind through this pose.Â
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