Yogis Anonymous

Handstand Tutorial

Video

Handstand Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Intermediate

By

Angela Kukhahn

Learn the key points of doing a handstand, both at the wall and in the center of the room. When you're ready, try the classes below that incorporate your handstand into a complete practice!

Class details

Benefits

Builds muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps and core.
Increases spatial awareness and balance.
Good weight-bearing for wrist, hand and finger bones.
Helps to look at the world from a different perspective, and face your fear of falling.

Key Alignment Points

Start in down dog, hands an inch or so away from the wall.
Hands are shoulders’ distance apart, creases of the wrists are parallel to the front edge of your mat.
Bend a knee and step one foot forward a enough that you can lean forward, so the shoulders are over the palms of your hands.
Wrap the outer arms back, so you feel that your upper back is broad, and keep your shoulder blades on your back.
Keep your arms straight, and your shoulders plugged into the shoulder sockets.
Draw your navel in, lift the pelvic floor, and spin your inner thighs toward the wall or the space behind you.
Try to stand on the ceiling with your feet.
Breathe!

Contraindications

Wrist, shoulder, back, neck or elbow injuries
Headache
Heart condition
High blood pressure

Ready to work it?

Here are some classes featuring Handstand.

68 minutes

Healthy Hamstrings

By Angela Kukhahn on Oct 5, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

We start with a stretch for the soles of the feet to help loosen up the back line of the body, from there we move on to a downward facing dog followed by a forward fold for a couple of minutes to further stretch the tissues on the back and hamstrings. From there we begin Sun Salutations. We begin with a few standard Sun Salutes and then slowly start to add Warrior 3 and Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose. Next we come to our back for corework and play with different handstand variations, crow pose, Tripod Headstand and much more! Enjoy!
55 minutes

Well-Rounded Core Flow

By Missy White on Sep 9, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Advanced

In this class we will flow with a great deal of attention to our core, building strength to balance on our feet as well as our hands! Get ready to play with lots of cool transitions and variations of arm balances and inversions. Let's get STRONG and have fun in this truly balanced class.
30 minutes

Keep It Moving

By Angela Kukhahn on Sep 6, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

This flow establishes a steady pace that builds heat and challenges with both movement and holding poses. We start off warming up the hips and hamstrings by flowing through low lunge and half hanuman and then move on to twisted crescent, Warrior 3, standing splits, twisted chair, side crow, Warrior 1, Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior, Side Angle Warrior, Standing Holding Big Toe Pose, Skandasana, Wide leg forward fold, Tripod Headstand, options for handstand and much, much, more! This short practice has plenty of challenge and some longer holds! Enjoy!
68 minutes

FUN and Funk

By Missy White on Aug 7, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Advanced

A little fun sprinkled with some funky-style flow! If you want to move and energize your body this is the class for you....oh, and did I mention it was FUN?!!! Plenty of opportunities to arm balance and get upside down if that's your thing and if not skip it and just flow.
68 minutes

Twisted and Fun!

By Ally Hamilton on Aug 7, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Advanced

Hips, hamstrings and shoulders unwind as we flow, fly and fire up the core. Plenty of chances to play on your hands and kick it upside down, but just as many to breathe and release.
34 minutes

Abs, Legs and Handstands!

By Angela Kukhahn on Jul 23, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

It’s an ab party! We start with abs to get our core cookin' right away! From there we move on to a creative standing sequence that warms up the lower body and includes a goddess pose variation, pyramid pose and standing splits! Included as well are plenty of hamstring stretches, hip opening and a sprinkling of inversions! Enjoy!
53 minutes

Steady As She Goes...

By Brent Laffoon on Jul 15, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

This practice starts slow and builds steadily to a sweet challenge, working through lunges, twists and core strengthening before finishing with a little hand balance and backbend work. Take your time and enjoy the ride!
61 minutes

Psychic Cleansing

By Kate Duyn on Jul 7, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Advanced

Who doesn't need a little psychic cleansing from time to time? This practice begins with a meditation to help you cut attachments to ideas, attitudes, ways of being, people or situations that no longer serve you and weigh you down. Archer's arms in warrior postures help us to find our balance, sharpen our focus, get really clear about what we want and grounded in our purpose. These elements are reinforced through the peak poses we explore like Kapinjalasana (dew drop drinking bird), Shiva Naturajasana, an adventurous variation of Ustrasana, and reclining Virasana. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
58 minutes

Know Yourself

By Ally Hamilton on Jul 7, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Advanced

"Language... has created the word 'loneliness' to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word 'solitude' to express the glory of being alone." Paul Tillich Get deep into the hips and shoulders and fire up your core as we flow and arm balance and invert ourselves until we lose ourselves and open to the quiet knowing within. The only thing to fear is never knowing yourself.
73 minutes

Practice Not Perfection

By Ally Hamilton on Jul 1, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Deep into the shoulders, upper back and hamstrings we go! Inversions and arm balances and twists throughout, fun transitions and a lot of core strengthening built into the flow, and then targeted on the floor. Heart and hip opening once you're warm, and a very deep Savasana, which you will have earned.