While working for the Forest Service caring for
wild-lands. The job entailed thinning trees in fire danger areas. This
helps protect old-growth trees from ladder fuels which could start
crown (canopy) fires. So, while felling trees we want the most
oxidative to remain standing. I write this information because
Handstand (Adho-mukha-vrksasana) is Downward-facing-tree-pose and while
it is important to focus our breath, core strength is also integral to
remain standing.
Yoga Journal magazine's July issue contains the article Defy Gravity. It states, “To ensure you have enough strength to work toward Handstand, first be sure you can hold Chaturanga-dandasana (Four-limbed-staff-pose) or Adho-mukha-svanasana (Downward-facing-dog-pose) for about 5 minutes.” Therefore, practice core strength, like flowing from Plank or Hover (Chaturanga-dandasana) → Side-plank (Vasisthasana)→ Reverse-plank (Purvottanasana) → Side-plank. Then, add variations like lifted leg and quad stretch, for the fun of it. Even try Explorer (Virabhadrasana) → side-plank → Crescent-lunge or Low-lunge (Unjanyasana) and around again, as many sets as you choose. All excellent strength building poses.
When ready incorporate handstands into a
session with handstand kick-ups. Usually, during Salutations with
variations. From Downward-facing-dog scissor kick by bringing the leg,
that would normally lunge forward (let's say the right), half-way up the
mat and kicking the other leg (the left) overhead followed by the right
leg and while the legs are overhead bringing the left leg down followed
by the right. Continuing, from forward bend through Salutations, or
any fun flow, with the left leg moving forward and kicking up the right
leg etc. Now, if you haven't already started, your doing
Adho-mukha-vrksasana!
Begin with Pelvic - Hip Bumps, anterior and posterior flexion & Core - side abdominal (oblique) strengthening and stretching, warming-up front (anterior) and back (posterior) abdominals and muscles by strengthening and stretching opposing (antagonist) muscle groups! Practice a QuadStretch (Natrajasana) variation. Do a full body Stretch, Stabilization & Strengthening asana, as your able, during Explorers (Virabhadrasana I, II & Reverse). HeadStand (Shirshasana), by some references, is known to be the King of Poses - performed here with an inverted Pike. Strengthen Arms by sequencing into CrowPose (Kakasana), if you like. Endure Core strengthening in plank/hover (Chaturanga Dandasana) as well as Swan Feather (Hamshasana). Periodizing pelvic flexion and extension as well as leg strengthening and stretching in Splits (Hanumanasana). Ending in a final supination; namaste!A client/friend of mine arranged for a meeting to provide group yoga. I chose to meet and immediately agreed to teach dance students. Yoga Style Hip-Hop began a new adventure. The clip shows similar poses (asanas) as those practiced during the first class!A Deva Premal Chants and incantations station was changed to Hip-hop music. While listening to the electronic style 'gunfire' sounds I ticked my physical body to the beat. I had practiced similarly having learned inner subtle body movements from the instruction of Jayi Kumar Swamysree, not far from a ghetto of people living in tents near Mysore India while studying abroad in 2008. Feeling each adjustment I pretended to be titanium, as a song mentions - fully protected (Pancha-maya-kosha). Continuing to integrate moves listening and thinking 'vilkalpa', non-judgment of terminology. During a rap story, "Bitch" was expressed. A puppy raced to mind. Smiling, while sequencing puppy pose also known as foxtail pose was helpful. Gazing over the shoulder towards the outer (lateral) pelvic bones where the Greater Trochanter's ball joints of the upper legs connect to the socket joints of the pelvis which holds the longest bones of the body, the femurs.When class time rolled around, preparation paid. "Okay," time for hip bumps, "Keep your hips moving from side-side". Now, to cue Tail Wag Pose, "... find your booty". We started with the basics. "Try Standing Cat/Cow", a fun movement with tailbone tucks and lifts. 'Putting our back into it', prepared us for more advanced poses as core work facilitates upper body stretching, stabilizing and strengthening to reverberate to the lower body and vie-a-vie. Flowing, yoga hip-hop style like a lotus flower in murky waters we practiced sensory withdrawal (pratyahara). During life chants (raps) we continued posing in Dancer (Natrajasana). The class waged peace in Warrior poses (Virabhadrasana), used core strength and balance (udyana bandha) lifting into headstands (Shirsasana) and learned to flow from Tripod to Crow (Kakasana), a basic forearm balance.After more planks (chataranga dandasana), practicing splits pose (Hanumanasana) - one of the most intense deep stretches - and some up-dogs (urdhva mukha shvinasana) the class rested. We listened to yogi raps (mantras) during Final Relaxation (Shavasana). Our first yoga style hip-hop class completed. Bliss out; bliss be!
