3 Yoga Handstand Poses

Yoga handstand poses require skills, training, practice and endurance. Yoga handstand poses are among the most difficult postures. Not because they require a lot of strength in your arms or hands but they require significant core strength. Only when you can control your entire posture, meaning all the significant muscles from your shoulder through your core to your legs, can you practice yoga handstand poses. It would augur well for you to try some of the aerial or standing poses and inverted poses that will act as precursors to the yoga handstand poses.

1. L Shape Pose

For instance, you should consider practicing the standing L shape pose before you try a half handstand. Standing L shape is easy. Stand upright with your arms raised straight above at shoulder width. Raise one leg and pull it up to your waist level. Use the surface of a wall to place your leg for support and practice this posture. You can also use a different pose to practice the same. You can fold one leg and place it at the knee of the other leg or above and practice the poise. This will be strengthen your core and induce balance, both are necessary for all handstand poses.

2. Three Legged Downward Dog

Practice three legged downward dog and plank with leg lifts. Take the downward dog pose and raise your leg backward, straight up. Your stretched out arms, the stretched torso and the backward raised leg will create a straight line. The other leg will form a triangle with your torso and arms using the ground or floor as the base or the third side. Repeat this pose with the other leg. Plank or pushup with leg lifts will help you to strengthen your core further. Take plank or pushup position, raise one leg backward, bring it back and then raise the other leg backward. It is easier to do with pushup position than starting from the plank posture.

3. Half Handstand

Practice half handstand before you try a full handstand. Bend down to place your hands spread out on the ground. They should be at shoulder width. Do this at an appropriate distance from the wall so you can raise your legs and level it at the waist placing your feet against the wall for support. Once both your legs are at the level of your waist and your feet have gripped the wall, forming a square courtesy your torso, legs, the wall and the floor as the four sides, you should raise one leg backward and straight up to point to the ceiling. The other leg should still be at the wall. The next step is a complete free standing handstand.