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HW: Wall Inversions (Day 24)
Supported Headstand at the Wall
This is progress for me. Headstand has always been something I have avoided, maybe had a fear around, I’m not entirely sure why, I have no problem with being upside down, can still cartwheel…Perhaps its something to do with resting on my head and fear of damaging my neck.. Nonetheless, I deliberately left this until last to give myself chance to get as best I could before finishing, and now, whilst I still need a little help to get up, I am comfortable in the pose and can stay up contentedly and without fear… I was suprised at how peaceful I found it….
So, to get into headstand, we need a good amount of preparatory work to strengthen the shoulders, things like planks, and dolphin pose in particular.
To come into the pose, begin sitting on the ankles a little away from the wall, and come down to the forearms and stack the elbows directly under the shoulders. Check you have the right distance by clasping elbow to elbow first. Then, pivot the elbows so you can clasp the hands in front, creating a triangle with the forearms, and bring the crown of the head to rest inside, supported by the hands, close to something like a rabbit pose. Then, lift the hips and walk the feet forward towards your face. As you feel the weight transfer into your upper body, engage the shoulders and press the forearms into the floor to take the bulk of the weight out of your head and neck – it’s vital we keep the cervical spine safe. To lift the legs, there are some options:
1) Raise one leg and have an assist by pressing the shin into a partners hand, giving you the leverage to lift the other leg alongside and rest your heels to the wall.
2) Begin to lift one foot off the floor, bending the leg using the strength of the core, followed by the other leg. Then when you are stable, straighten both legs straight up.
3) Float on leg up in the air and then hop the standing leg to up to follow, and use the inertia to help you spring the legs up into place.
Once the legs are up, draw the ribs back for a straight back, and energise up through the legs and out through the feet, creating a sense of lift. This also helps keep the weight out of the head.
To come out, with grace, float one leg down followed by the other, and perhaps take a pause in childs pose before moving around further.
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This discussion was modified 1 year, 4 months ago by
Katie.
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This discussion was modified 1 year, 4 months ago by
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