Mat Matters, Episode 29: Inversion Prep Poses

From my observations as a teacher, I'd say that for the majority of yogis, inversions are some of the most challenging types of poses out there. But they're also some of the most alluring.

I remember when I was new to yoga and the teacher would give us time to work on an inversion at the end of class. I would watch in amazement as the more advanced yogis (there were 2-3 in my gym class) would pop up into a headstand--with total grace and ease--as I would struggle to kick myself up into a wobbly version of the same pose against the wall. [Please note: I do not teach this pose against the wall because of my own experience learning this way! Watch my headstand video for more info.] 

Then, when I became comfortable with headstand, I would watch in amazement as more advanced yogis popped up into forearmstand or handstand with total grace and ease. 

No matter where you are in your practice, there's always going to be an inversion that takes your breath away, or one that you'd like to be able to come into someday (Handless headstand, anyone?).

The other thing about inversions--besides their alluring qualities--is that they take a whole lot of strength, balance, and faith. They're powerful poses that should be approached with both effort and ease, with both seriousness and playfulness--and as long as you're safe about it, they can be super fun to work on.

So, today, we're simply going back to basics and discussing a great way to build strength for three  inversions: bound headstand, forearmstand, and handstand. 

The video quality isn't so good (sorry), I wore a hoodie to teach inversions (stupid!), and a few of my demos are less than stellar (I'm a bit too far from the wall), but I've learned to let go of my perfectionist tendencies when it comes to these videos (yay!), and I think the gist of it is still clear... {Thanks for understanding!}

Oh, and I always have to mention that inversions are not for beginners and there are many contraindications, including but not limited to: neck injuries, epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and eye problems.

Have fun turning your world upside down!