How to Do a Handstand
AKA: How I personally learned how to do a handstand
Because for all poses, no matter the level of "difficulty," we experience it differently in our own bodies. So, the way that it worked for me to take both legs up simultaneously into handstand might not work for someone shaped differently.
That being said, the trick was in a pillow. Pillow? Yes, pillow. A lot of my fear in coming up into handstand was about whacking my head into the wall as I shifted the weight forward and brought my hips towards the wall. By placing a pillow against the wall, I could bring my head into it without fear of smashing into the wall (and loosing some brain cells in the process). Another thing that really helped was bringing my legs closer to my hands in the prep. For some reason, while I knew to walk my legs towards my head for headstand and forearm stand, it didn't quite click that maybe I should do it for handstand, too. So, that was a big help.
For the past couple of years I had been coming up to handstand (against the wall, very much against the wall!) by kicking up one leg and then the other. After literally years of trying, this was my first time coming up with both legs at once. I found that I didn't automatically fall into the wall and use it as a crutch immediately. I felt more balanced. I guess I can see why Ashtangis often forsake the one leg kick up, preferring to wait until they get the dual-leg.
This isn't a full sequence, but this article includes many mini-sequences that will help with those working on their handstands. Any tricks you've learned, in any poses that you are working on, that you wish you could share with the world?
Because for all poses, no matter the level of "difficulty," we experience it differently in our own bodies. So, the way that it worked for me to take both legs up simultaneously into handstand might not work for someone shaped differently.
That being said, the trick was in a pillow. Pillow? Yes, pillow. A lot of my fear in coming up into handstand was about whacking my head into the wall as I shifted the weight forward and brought my hips towards the wall. By placing a pillow against the wall, I could bring my head into it without fear of smashing into the wall (and loosing some brain cells in the process). Another thing that really helped was bringing my legs closer to my hands in the prep. For some reason, while I knew to walk my legs towards my head for headstand and forearm stand, it didn't quite click that maybe I should do it for handstand, too. So, that was a big help.
For the past couple of years I had been coming up to handstand (against the wall, very much against the wall!) by kicking up one leg and then the other. After literally years of trying, this was my first time coming up with both legs at once. I found that I didn't automatically fall into the wall and use it as a crutch immediately. I felt more balanced. I guess I can see why Ashtangis often forsake the one leg kick up, preferring to wait until they get the dual-leg.
This isn't a full sequence, but this article includes many mini-sequences that will help with those working on their handstands. Any tricks you've learned, in any poses that you are working on, that you wish you could share with the world?