Another handstand question, alignment

odonogc

Hi Mary, Carl, others

I mentioned on the other thread that I'm following this page called "Handstands Anonymous". I've noticed that a lot of the hand standers there bend one of both their legs over their head in handstand.

Is the legs straight up a "yoga' style handstand?

Thanks!
Claire

yogicarl

OK - here's my take on it.

Somehow, having one leg bent over and the other straight somehow improves balance and I find having both legs straight - which is usually the yoga classic - is more challenging to my balance. It feels like having both legs straight I am more likely to start to lose balance whereas having one leg bent is a bit like having a counter balance to work against.

The principle that has helped the most, but has been the most difficult to teach my mind and body, has been that the thighs spin inward and squeeze together whereas the upper arms rotate outwards, shoulders squeezed down the back.

When I was first exploring coming out of the safe place in headstand - with your legs bent and tucked into your chest - and into straight legs, I found it much more stable to keep one leg bent as I straightened the other and I think it was because it gave me a third point of reference as I changed my centre of gravity, but as soon as both legs became straight I would keel over - probably because I had forgotten to squeeze in to the midline enough and had lost that bent leg rudder.

For all my Ashtanga training, it has been a very excellent Iyengar teacher who has helped me with inversions - its all about alignment and knowing where your energy is going. She taught me by getting me to place a yoga sitting block between my inner thighs, lifting into headstand and really working on squeezing into the block and tucking my pelvis forward. All of a sudden I was holding a steady headstand like I had been doing it for years.

Going by your profile picture - you have Bakasana down really well. Perhaps you could teach me how to avoid the face-plant I keep doing! Where do you focus your gaze in this one?

Carl

yoginimary

Yes, straight legs is classic pose. Just like Carl said, it's easier to balance if you're legs aren't directly overhead - or at least find your balance. I've seen many people come up with their legs split and then bring them together. That works really well for the flexible.

Now, I'm not holding handstand for more than a couple seconds (10 max), so I don't know what the effects of bent knees, split legs, etc. are on handstand. On headstand, the leg placement changes the balance on your head and can change the alignment in your shoulders. I imagine it would be in the same in handstand. Someone more practiced than myself should answer this question.

Oh, Carl, the Bakasana gaze is forward, that's how you keep your face away from the floor

odonogc

Thanks Carl! I need to re-read your full response when I have a little more time.

On Bakasana, what I did is put something to look at (one of my daughters old toys, a little flower thing) a few inches in front of my mat to remind me to keep looking forward, not down. It's really helped!

odonogc

Mary 10 seconds is more than a couple!

Part of me wonders if I'd be getting further if I could practice in a spot where I could do a split leg, but my handstand spot wouldn't work for that, and there isn't really an alternative. So, maybe it's best I just continue to focus on the classic yoga straight leg.