Ever wonder why some people are masters at handstands and others are not? It's because some people have better balance than others.
Here are some balance exercises to tune up your balance and strengthen your entire body.
Work That Core!
A great exercise to work your core is an exercise called Hollow Body. There are many variations of this exercise so here’s a video illustrating modifications and how to progress to the full pose: https://bit.ly/2UBrmPp
Start by laying down a yoga or exercise mat on the ground and lying on the ground, face up. It’s essential you keep your low back glued to the floor. To do this, try pushing your belly button toward the floor. You don’t have to master this pose to do a handstand, but it will help!
Strengthening your core will not only help you with your handstand progression but will also help keep your body balanced. A strong core means better balance.
Build Your Strength and Your Confidence
This next exercise will help you gain strength and spatial awareness. This exercise will get you prepared for carrying your body weight on your hands, and also give you the confidence of being upside down and what it feels like to have the proper balance.
You’re going to make a right angle with your body. Your hands will be firmly on the floor and your feet on a sofa or chair. You’ll make a vertical straight line from your hands to your hips and complete the right angle formation with a horizontal line from your hips to your feet.
- With your body facing down, put your feet up on a stable chair or sofa
- Keep your hands on the floor
- Your body should be straight to start with
- Walk your hands closer to the chair keeping your legs straight
- Your hips will lift higher the closer your hands get to the chair, meaning that you are more upside down
This is a great exercise to help you learn how to stay balanced while you move and it will also help you get into a handstand as you become upside down when your hands get closer to your feet!
Practice, Practice, Practice!
I will NEVER say practice makes perfect because perfect means you're at an expert level and have no room to grow. I say practice makes better. This pose you will definitely have to practice. And each time you do, you will get better.
Crow pose can be intimidating, but take it slow. You’ll be surprised how your body naturally responds once you get the hang of it.
- Start from the quadruped rock position with your knees on the outside of your arms. Bend the elbows a little to make a shelf to rest your legs.
- Rock forward in the same manner as before, putting a little more weight on the hands and a little less weight on the feet.
- Grip the ground hard to hold and control yourself.
- Slowly rise up on the toes, and when you feel ready, pick the feet up and hold yourself off the ground on just your hands.
Your practice session to get into a handstand safely and to work on your balance should look like this far:
-Wrist Warm-Up
-Quadruped Rocking
-Straight Arm PlankPush-Ups
-Hollow Body
-Right Angle
-Crow Pose