Adho Mukha Vrksasana - Handstand

FACE YOUR FEARS
Full disclosure, I have a turbulent relationship with Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand! I used to pop up into it without a care in the world, until one of my shoulders buckelled and I exited inelegantly in a heap on the floor with a new collection of bruises to more than just my ego. For many years after I’d break out in a cold sweat at the mention of handstands in classes, until recently I decided enough was enough. It was time to make peace with the pose, tackle my demons, and build strength and trust in my shoulders again.

THE BENEFITS OF ADHO MUKHA VRKSASANA/HANDSTAND
Inversions have become very popular, and for a wide variety of very good reasons too. Inversions aid circulation and help the heart do its job of bringing fresh oxygenated blood to the brain – which is very energising, improves focus and concentration, and reduces stress and anxiety. This boost in circulation flushes out toxins from all the systems of the body and allows it to work more efficiently and build a strong immune system. They are also beneficial for good digestion; building physical strength and stamina; increasing metabolism; regulating hormones; increasing spatial awareness and coordination. Quite an extensive list for a humble upside down pose!

EXPLORING ADHO MUKHA VRKSASANA/HANDSTAND IN YOUR PRACTICE
Prep and practice is key when building up to poses like Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand. Similar to headstand, strong shoulders and core are essential to the pose. I find spending a bit of time lengthening out the hamstrings help in getting you into a good set up position for kicking up. The two areas that haunted me the most were – trusting that my shoulders would stop me from buckelling forward, and having sufficient grounding in my hands to swing up from. So I devised a propped Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand method to support me while I tackled these fears. The set up gradually builds you up towards the full pose. The props can be removed one at a time, as you find comfort in each step, while building strength in your shoulders and core.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Approach this sequence with no expectation or self judgement. Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand is a difficult pose for most, so be kind to yourself and expect to invest a bit of time if it is your first attempt at Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

HOW TO USE PROPS FOR ADHO MUKHA VRKSASANA/HANDSTAND
Start from the beginning, set up and remove props to find the level you are most comfortable working with. You will need a bolster, two bricks (bricks are chunky) and two blocks (blocks are the flat ones):

• Set your yoga mat up short end to the wall. Place your two bricks perpendicular to the wall, just narrower than shoulder width, on their mid height,. Place your bolster on top of the two bricks. Place your two blocks to the left side of your mat under where your leg foot will be. These will help lift your pelvis up higher when you are getting ready to kick up.

• Place your hands on your mat just under the bolster, shoulder width apart, so that the bolster supports your shoulders. Press down evenly through your hands, grip the ground and lengthen up through your arms to your shoulders.

• Walk your feet in towards your hands as far as you can to a narrow Downward Dog and stack your shoulders over the heels of your hands. Let your head reach down towards the bolser but try to not use the support of the bolster. Think of it as your fail safe.

• Bend your left leg, lift your right leg up as high and straight as you can. Reach your pelvis forward towards the wall.

• Send all your energy to your bent leg and spring your right leg up overhead, follow quickly with the left leg, reach your legs up high, draw your navel towards your spine.

• Hug your outer hips and inner thighs to midline, press through the balls of your feet. To come down, lower your right legs down first and carefully place your left foot down if you have used the stacked blocks.

• When you are comfortable kicking with this setup remove one block and try again; then the second block; then reduce the height of the bricks to their lowest; then progress to ‘How to handstand with a wall’

HOW TO USE A WALL FOR ADHO MUKHA VRKSASANA/HANDSTAND
When you’re ready to move on to full handstand stay at the wall until you are very comfortable with kicking up and balancing without the support of the wall.

• Set your yoga mat up short end to the wall. Place your hands on your mat shoulder width apart, wrists parallel about 6 inches away from the wall. Press down evenly through your hands, grip the ground and lengthen up through your arms to your shoulders.

• Gaze to the ground between your hands, walk your feet in towards your hands as far as you can to a narrow Downward Dog position and stack your shoulders over the heels of your hands.

• Bend your left leg, lift your right leg up as high and straight as you can. Reach your pelvis forward towards the wall.

• Send all your energy to your bent leg and spring your right leg up overhead, follow quickly with the left leg, reach your legs up high, draw your navel towards your spine.

• Hug your outer hips and inner thighs to midline, press through the balls of your feet. To come down, lower your legs one at a time.

TIPS
Below are some extra tips to help you along the way.

• Incorporate lots of Dolphin pose into your practice to build strength and stamina in your shoulders.

• If you’ve just gone to a hip opening class try out your handstand practice when you get home. You’ll notice you can find your narrow Downward Dog easier which is half the battle to lifting your hips up over your shoulders.

• Handstand kick up position is harder work on the shoulders than hanging out in handstand. Get into position and move promptly into your handstand before fatigue or the ‘I can’t’ mindset starts kicking in.

• Run through your prep with your teacher and get as much tips and feedback on where you might be resisting in your kick up.

• If you are new to handstands practice with the guidance of a yoga teacher before you incorporate them into a home practice.

• Avoid practicing headstand if you have a back injury, neck injury, shoulder injury, high blood pressure, glaucoma, sinus infection or it’s your time of the month.

• Handstands are definitely a tricky pose for most people. Prepare to build some handstand drills into your everyday practice if you really want to get with the handstand vibes!

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.
Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Remote working home flow

REMOTE WORKING CHALLENGES
We have all been working from home for almost a year now and unless you were already set up with a home office you may be working from a less than ideal space which adds extra challenges to sitting for long periods of time. Kitchen tables were not designed for hours of working on a computer. If like me your table is too high you will end up with your shoulders very hunched and wrist strain. You might be sitting on a kitchen chair which most likely is not giving the back support you need. Over the course of the day you will start to feel progressively tighter and achy in the hips, shoulders, neck and lower back. A little bit of stretching during or after your working day can make all the difference.

WHAT IS GOOD SITTING POSTURE
We know that prolonged periods of sitting compromises our posture, spinal health and overall wellbeing. Taking breaks from sitting and ensuring your sitting posture is good will help. You might be limited by your workspace on some of the recommendations, but have a read of the below and see what you can improve on throughout your working day:

• Rest your feet on the floor or if your chair is too high place a prop under your feet.

• Have your knees at the same height or slightly lower than your hips.

• Avoid crossing your legs or ankles to allow good blood flow through the legs.

• Shoulders release away from your ears.

• Lengthen through the spine to the tip of your crown.

• Keep your back against the chair with a natural curve in your lower back.

• Distribute your body weight evenly into both hips.

• Height of your table should give you a natural L’ shape in your arms.

• Height of your computer screen should be eye level.

• Take a standing break every hour of sitting.

• Stretch your gaze at something in the distance during your standing break.

WHY YOGA
With remote working we are all inclined to work longer hours into the evening. While you may feel you are getting lots of work done, you will most likely find when you finally hit the bed exhausted, your mind is processing away all the information and hasn’t had a chance to switch off. This leads to a disturbed night sleep, tiredness, poor focus and another day of working late. Sound familiar? Stepping away from your work and focusing on your wellness is completely acceptable. Especially in the current climate when we are all being encouraged to get plenty of fresh air and look after our mental health to counteract the unprecedented period in time we are currently living through.

Yoga has many benefits, many of which are listed below with a guide to which pose will help the most. With regards to the benefits of yoga to remote working yoga stretches and strengthens muscles that have been weakened by sitting , realigns the spine, improves posture, builds focus & concentration, eases headaches, insomnia, fatigue, stress tension & anxiety, increases circulation and boosts the immune system.

EXPLORING REMOTE WORKING HOME FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
Remote working makes practising yoga from home even more accessible. Yoga is one of the easiest movement based practices to slot into your day, all you need is a yoga mat. This sequence focuses on simple poses to gently undo all the stiffness from long hours sitting. No need to change into yoga gear just take a break during your working day, roll out your mat and get started. You can break the sequence up throughout your day to keep moving or do the full sequences in one practice. Alternatively get into your comfies and use it as your switch off time at the end of your day to ease out any aches and pain in your hips, shoulders and neck, and realign your spine.

The first row of the sequence can be practiced at your desk, seated and standing, as a mini stretch break or on your mat to start the sequence off. A yoga mat is advised for the following two rows of standing poses to give you some grip. Socks off is always better to let the sticky mat do its job. The final row can be done either on your mat, lying on a blanket or whatever you find comfy. This last line can also be practised just before bedtime to get the spine and hips ready for a prolonged period of rest and restoring as you sleep. If you would like to practice for a bit longer you could also add in some Sun Salutation Cs just after the first row of poses and before each mini flow. Mini flows are the group of three to four poses between the arrowed lines. So for example add a Sun Salutation C before the two lunge mini flow on the second row and before the two warrior flows on the third row. You can also add in more side stretches and twists in any of the standing poses. They are very beneficial for spinal health and are great for getting the circulation going again.

ALIGNMENT CUES
As always, move nice and slow as you practice this sequence. Concentrate on any stiff areas you may have from sitting. There are a few two pose flows which will help you connect your breath with the movement. You will see a ‘+’ for the inhale and a ‘-’ for the exhale to help you establish a nice smooth breath for the suggested rounds. There is no particular peak pose in this sequence. Below are some tips and additional alignment cues for you to try as you practice.

• Practice the first six poses throughout the day at your desk.

• Take hourly breaks where you stand up and do one or two of the standing mini flows from row one.

• Pause in a few poses and breath in for the count of 4 out for the count of 6.

• Add a side stretch when you come to low lunge and again when you come to high lunge.

• If you are looking for a shorter practice leave out one of the lunge flows and the warrior flows.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Anatomy 101 - the shoulders

THE SHOULDER COMPLEX
Similar in structure to the hip the shoulder is a ball and synovial socket joint. It is a more complex joint because of the range of motion that is required for day to day movements. Not only do we use our shoulders for practical purposes like lifting and carrying but we also use our shoulders to express ourselves. We communicate with our shoulders in body language and gestures. They curl forward when we are feeling vulnerable, tired or cold and they open back when we are happy, proud and enjoying the sun. Similar to a dog's wagging tail you can tell a lot about a person by their shoulder language. We carry our emotions in our shoulders and often this is where we see and feel the effects of stress in our bodies. It is also one of the most used body parts in idioms - we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders; stand shoulder to shoulder; give someone the cold shoulder; and offer a shoulder to cry on.

To make this complex joint easier to understand I will break it down into – the structure of the shoulder; the shoulder blade movements; and the shoulder joint movements with their assisting muscles. Having a basic knowledge of this joint will help keep the integrity of this important joint during your practice. When you get a clearer picture of how all the components work together you will get a deeper understanding of the joint in action as you practice the accompanying shoulder sequence below.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SHOULDER
The shoulder is the most mobile joint of the body. The structure of the joint, which gives it this mobility, is the main reason it is considerably less stable than the hip joint and more prone to injury and dislocation.

The shoulder is made up of three bones – the shoulder blade (scapula), the arm bone (humerus) and the collarbone (clavicle). There are three joints that work together as a unit to form the shoulder complex:
The glenohumeral (GH) joint – which is a ball and socket joint made up of the head of the humerus and a shallow cup at the side of the scapula called the glenoid fossa.
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint – which connects the clavicle with the scapula and assists the scapula in shoulder abduction and flexion.
The sternoclavicular (SC) joint – which connects the medial end of the clavicle with the sternum and helps us lift our arm above shoulder height.

THE MOVEMENTS OF THE SHOULDER JOINT
Below there is an illustration of the six movements of the shoulder joint:
Flexion – where the arm lift forward and up, the scapula elevates and upwardly rotates.
Extension – where the arm reaches back and up, the scapula depresses and downwardly rotates.
Adduction – where the arm moves towards the midline, the scapula downwardly rotates.
Abduction – where the arm moves away from the midline, the scapula upwardly rotates.
Internal rotation – where the arm rotates inwards, the scapula protracts.
External rotation – where the arm rotates outwards, the scapula retracts.

THE MOVEMENTS OF THE SCAPULA
Below there is an illustration of the six movements of the scapula:
Elevation – where the scapula lift up
Depression – where the scapula lower down.
Retraction – where the scapula move towards each other.
Protraction – where the scapula move away from each other.
Upward rotation – where the outer corners of the scapula rotate upwards.
Downward rotation – where the outer corners of the scapula rotate downwards.

THE MUSCLES OF THE SHOULDERS
For those of you who love to go deeper into the actions of the shoulder joint I have also listed the six movements of the shoulder joint and scapula with their assisting muscles in the chart below. Grouping the muscles to the action rather than looking at each muscle in isolation gives a more experiential understanding.

THE ROTATOR CUFF
The anatomy of the shoulder is not complete without a mention of the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles which form a ‘cuff’ around the head of the arm bone (humerus) and the shoulder socket (glenoid fossa). Their main job is to work collectively to stabilise the head of the arm bone (humerus) in the shoulder socket (glenoid fossa) and help prevent the joint from dislocating. Each of the four muscles also assist in the following movements:
Supraspinatus – shoulder joint abduction.
Infraspinatus – shoulder joint external rotation.
Teres minor – shoulder joint external rotation.
Subscapularis – shoulder joint internal rotation.

EXPLORING THE SHOULDERS IN YOUR PRACTICE
We use our shoulders a lot during our yoga practice. We lift and extend them, we press into them to hold our weight and we wrap them around our bodies. In this sequence bring your full attention to the sensations of stretching and strengthening in your shoulder joint. Remember that muscles work in tandem to each other so when you feel a stretch on one side the other side is most likely strengthening. Look for each side to build a three dimensional picture of the shoulders in each pose, especially the poses I have highlighted as the six movements of the shoulder. The sequence is designed to build a well rounded shoulder focused practice and each pose has a role to play. For the purpose of simplicity, and understanding the movement of the shoulder and scapula, I have highlighted the six movements twice – once as you warm up and once in the flow of the sequence.

ALIGNMENT CUES
This sequence will bring you through the six movements of the shoulder – flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal and external rotation. Concentrate this practice on your shoulders and move mindfully with curiosity as you move through the poses. The sequence is numbered to highlight sample poses from each movement of the shoulder to give you a better understanding of the role of the shoulder joint in the pose. The seated poses bring you into shoulder flexion, extension, external rotation and internal rotation. Cat & cow will bring the scapula into protraction and retraction which helps the scapula move freely in preparation for other shoulder work. Below are the asana which are highlighted in the sequence and the correlating arm and scapular movement:

1 – Flexion - Seated arm warm up & Ashta Chandrasana/Eight Crescent Moon
When the arms are in flexion the scapula is elevated and upwardly rotated.
2 – Extension - Seated arm warm up & Ashta Chandrasana/Eight Crescent Moon with clasped arms
When the arms are in extension the scapula is depressed and downwardly rotated.
3 – Abduction - Virabhadrasana II/Warrior II
When the arms are in abduction the scapula is upwardly rotated.
4 – Adduction - Garudasana/Eagle
When the arms are in adduction the scapula is in downward rotation.
5 – Internal rotation - Seated arm warm up & Parsvotanasana/Intense Side Stretch
When the arms are in internal (medial) rotation the scapula is in protraction.
6 – External rotation - Seated arm warm up & Gomukhasana/Cow Face
When the arms are in external (lateral) rotation the scapula is in retraction.
7 – Scapula protraction - Marjaryasana/Cat & Chaturanga Dandasana/Four Limb Staff
Scapula moves away from each other.
8 – Scapula retraction - Bitilasana/Cow & Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/Upward Facing Dog
Scapula moves towards each other.

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To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru