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1 Boskykloof Road Hout Bay Cape Town
cell 072 290 9203
catherine@ wellnessconnection.co.za

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Losing a pose or movement that you have worked SO

Losing a pose or movement that you have worked SO hard on for YEARS can be hugely frustrating resulting in lots of mini tantrums and toys out of cot throwing.  Press to Handstand humbled me completely. It took 2 years of consistent focused practice - just on press - in my early 50s- to get there. And now it’s gone.

I am way stronger AND more flexible than I was when I could press to Handstand.

So why can’t I do it anymore? I believe I have lost the skill element.

I stopped practicing it. But do I want to put all that energy and time into getting the movement back?

No.

So I have decided to reframe my press practice to a less zealous 2x weekly session of movements that give me joy, FUN and may help me to press again. Or maybe not.

Loved this session: Theme….Push hard. 🤣
1. Negative straddles lowers.
2. Wall push side sweeps
3. Negative wall slides.
4. Balance leans.
5. Straddle Handstand holds
6. Hip compression work
7. Flexibility work.

A BIG thank you to the incredible Handbalancer @tashas_handstands for sharing that even great arm balancers like Tasha can lose a skill and get it back again. IF they want to.

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. AND HAVE FUN 💪

To be square or not to be square….that is the qu

To be square or not to be square….that is the question.

We are told to square the hips to create alignment in Triangle. Then we are told if we square the hips in Warrior 1 it’s dangerous and our sacrum might explode (it won’t).

Our hips can be square and our hips can be skew. When we walk we move from square hips to skew hips back to square - for our whole lives.

So in my opinion BOTH square and skew hips can be useful depending on your body and what movement you wish to make in the pose that you are practicing.

Skew Spilts: Skewing our hips may help us lower further to splits. Skewing moves us more into hip flexion (we have way more range in hip flexion - what our front leg is doing - than we do in hip extension - what our back leg is doing). And skewing allows the back hip to turn out which can help too.
Square Splits: Great if you want to add a strength element - you can lift up here using your hamstrings and quad muscle to hold you off the floor.

Skew Hips in Handstand Spilts: Allows more of a Spilt for the reasons above
Square Hips in Handstand Spits: May give us a feeling of stability in the balance as our pelvis will be ‘level’.

Skew Hips in Trikonasana: Allows more hip flexion (forward folding) so we can move closer to the ground.
Square Hips in Trikonasana: Gives us more of a side bend style of Trikonasana. Great for side bending!

Skew Hips in Crescent lunge: Moves us to Warrior 1 with the back foot down. May feel more stable.
Square Hips in Crescent lunge: More of a Balance. Great for stepping directly forward into Warrior 3.

Play with variations. Be open to ideas to help your body to do the things you want to do 💪. #yogasplit

Headsand to Pincha/Scorpion Tips. The key to thi

Headsand to Pincha/Scorpion Tips.

The key to this transition is to move the load (weight) of your legs and pelvis behind you, and away from above your head, so that lifting your head becomes easier.

Here are some ways you can play around with moving the load - even if you aren’t yet happy to be in a Headstand balance away from the wall.

1. Stag legs Headstand to Pincha: You will be surprised just how much weight is removed from above your head by having one toe on the wall! Of course this version does mean you need be fairly happy in kicking up to your Headstand
2. Headstand to Pincha/Scorpionh. A harder version. Take both legs over then lift head.
3. Kicking to the wall block Pincha Split.Really great if you are happy to kick up to the wall. Having legs in spilts distributes the load of your legs and gets you used to having weight behind you.
4. Block arms Pincha Spilt. Facing the wall block option if you aren’t ready to to kick up and gives you time to experiment with using the block version of Pincha.
5. Headstand arms Pincha Split. A nice option to explore headstand arms Pincha and build up shoulder endurance.
6. Headstand to Pincha push ups. A good way to get a feel for pushing down into your forearms, flipping your hands and lifting your head.

To explore normal Pincha see my previous post on many ways to learn Pincha

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪
#pinchadrills
#forearmstand
#pinchapractice

So many Yogis believe that adding heavy arm weight

So many Yogis believe that adding heavy arm weight training to your exercise practice will make you lose flexibility and give you huge arms.

This is simply not true. What arm weight training has done for me is make me MORE flexible and stronger. Thank you to @fitness_pollenator 😍 Which has in turn given me more confidence to do things like jumping from downward dog.

And the weights I use are fairly heavy, and I do not have big arms. (Although I would be super happy to have bigger arms - maybe when I am all grown up🤣)

Jumping from Downward dog to Forward Fold is so scary and intimidating for most Yoga practitioners. A lot of momentum is needed for jumping and this produces a real fear of falling and hurting themselves.

Having strong arms gives us the confidence that we can control that momentum and be safe.

Jump small, then build. Be progressive.

1. Shorten your Downward dog. The shorter the easier the jump
2. Donkey kicks. Think hips up then heels to bum
3. Eccentric jumps. Lower slowly
4. Squish a foam jumps. Helps control our legs.
5. Butterfly jumps. Way easier to jump up in the position
6. Odd looking wide leg jumps - easier to jump up
7. Arm strength work. Start with weights that make 3 sets x 6-8 reps accessible and build up

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪

#armstrength
#yogastrength
#yogastrengthening

Fear of falling is the biggest reason people are n

Fear of falling is the biggest reason people are nervous of Handstand. Moving away from the wall is absolutely terrifying for adults learning to handstand, me included.

The only way to become more confident kicking up away from the wall is to experience LOSING your balance.

Because no matter how good a handstander you are, you WILL fall. There is just no way around it.

I started learn to Handstand in my 40s. I was really, really scared to move away from the wall. True story - I ended up going to a Kids Acrobatic Play centre where the floor was covered in cushions to learn how to fall 🤣

Losing balance safe practice tips.
1. Trusty assistant catches: find a willing (or unwilling human 🤣). Hand should be behind shoulders so you can learn to take your leg behind you and feel calm
2. Trusty assistant balances: wide hands so you have to fight for the balance.
3. Cartwheels to the wall bail or mini cartwheels in the middle of the room. Hand set up is important for the wall kicks. Put something down where you need to place your hands if it helps.
4. Cushion castles. As many and as big (but not slidy) as you like. Or go to a Kids Acrobatic centre!
5. Straddle wall leans. Helps you to learn how to transfer weight for the cartwheel bail as do the 2 versions below.
6. Straddle wall slide bails.
7. Facing the wall slide bails.

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR MIND to do the things you want to do. 💪
#beginnershandstandchallenge
#handstandpractice
#handstandchallenge

I am really looking forward to exploring entries i

I am really looking forward to exploring entries into Hurdlers and Props in our for Yoga Teachers only Arm Balance Workshop on Saturday with @lauranorton_yoga

Hurdlers (Eka Pada Koudinyasana 2) is a tricky pose. Sort of like a slightly skew splits on Chaturanga arms. We have to have good hamstring and adductor (inner groin) flexibility and helpful proportions make it easier to access the pose. And we need some arm strength too.

That’s quite a lot of boxes to tick.

If we don’t have enough hamstring and adductor flexibility it can make it difficult to get our shoulder and upper arm in the right position to create the shelf - where we put our leg.

If we have shorter arms relative to longer legs (a lot of us!), it gives us less space to lean down - the see saw - in order to lift up the back legs.

If we haven’t yet developed enough strength, then holding without crashing our faces into the floor is hard, and makes it very difficult to lift the back leg.

Here are a few things that may help you (and your students) access your version of Hurdlers.

Bent leg Hurdlers.
Great for those who don’t have the hamstring/adductor flexibility to straighten the leg. Lots of variations here.
Bent leg Bolster: smooshing face enables the seesaw effect.
Bent Leg Blocks: gives us more space to seesaw
Bent Leg Back Foot Bolster: a little less load to lift
Bent Leg Front Leg Prop. Allows us to press into our front foot which helps us to lift the back leg

Lizard Hurdlers
Great for people who have the required flexibility.
Lizard Odd Hand Entry: love this one. 💙 Makes it much easier to position our arm into our tummies to lean on - block version gives us more room to lean
Lizard Chest Block Entry: great to press down on without face smooshing and lift the back leg
Blocks Lizard Entry: more space for seesaw and wriggle
Lizard Back Leg up: a little less load to lift

And of course, just normal old Hurdlers with no prop fun. 🤣

Video of where to put arms at the end

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things you want to do. 💪
#hurdlerspose

I was such an unhappy Pincha person. Pincha Mayura

I was such an unhappy Pincha person. Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm balance) was SO much harder for me than Handstand.

I was WAY too scared to try it in the middle of the room when it was ‘offered’ in a class..”those that want to come into Pincha do so, everyone else….just breathe”.

I tried at home, by throwing myself up again and again against the wall, my arms would splay outwards and I would bounce off the wall and back down again.

I started playing with regressions - developing the strength and skill needed for Pincha Mayurasana - with a chair, block, bolster, strap, wall and different arm shapes.

And now I am a happy in the middle fo the room Pincha person.
Chair. Great for a supported upright feeling. Press forearms against the chair legs and walk in until your upper back is firmly against the chair. Use a person or a weight to hold down the chair.
Bolster. 2 cushiony bolsters if you have them. Great for feeling super safe. Place your hands just on the outside of the bolsters and walk in.
Strap. Strap sits above your elbows. Great for stopping elbows from splaying outwards which can make you feel very grounded.
Block - try both ways - long side and short side. Great for helping your elbows from popping up and giving you an extra feeling of support.
Headstand 1 arms. Great if you don’t have props and hands in the fist shape can help you feel more supported. Interlace your hands and place your knuckles against the wall.
Pincha strength building wall hold. Headstand 1 arms. Great - for GETTING STRONGER in the PUSH DOWN needed for Pincha - so important!! Be as close as you can to the wall. Allow your head to rest on the floor and walk up the wall. Push down hard and lift your head. If that is ok, flip and move your hands out to flat palms Pincha. Keep pushing down!

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things you want to do. 💪
#pinchadrills
#pinchapractice
#yogaforbeginners

Chaturanga - Yoga’s Push Up - is frequently taug

Chaturanga - Yoga’s Push Up - is frequently taught with warnings about lack of alignment potential injury.

DON’T let your elbows flare
DON’T let your shoulders dip forward
DON’T let your back arch
Elbows in line with wrists………..

If you went to a personal trainer to learn Chaturanga aka a Negative Push Up (a lower to the floor Push Up) they would say ‘Please show me your negative Push Up’ and assess that you are ‘Just not strong enough to do the full version-yet’ and progressively train you to do it.

We almost never see Yoga Teachers train people to get stronger in Yoga poses. We get told DON’T do poses a certain way but rarely HOW to build the strength to do the pose the way a Yoga Teacher wants us to do it.

None of the DON’T alignment cues are inherently dangerous. The Elbows in version of Chaturanga is actually really hard and requires good tricep strength. The Elbows out version allows us to use more of other muscles,like pecs. If I lower to the floor my shoulders will go forward, and my elbow won’t be in line with my wrist. My lower back will arch if I am not strong enough to hold a straight line but it doesn’t hurt me.

Help your students to be as strong as you need them to be for the pose you are telling them to do 💪

Train at different ranges of motion - shorter range to longer range. Bend your arms a little and build up to a full bend to the floor
Train the slow negative - eccentrically.
Train the concentric - pushing up.
Train different loads- change the angle-less weight on your arms to more weight. Once you can do the concentric of one version, the negative version isn’t helping you to get stronger anymore so move to the next progression. Thank you @jenni_rawlings for the great science based Strength course that helped me understand this concept.

Progressive Chaturanga and Push Up training. (Elbows in or out version):
Chair
Floor to Kneeling
Block
Strap
Bolster
Floor to Plank

Have fun. Get stronger 💪
#chaturanga
#pushupchallenge

An unusual kick up that is somewhere in between a

An unusual kick up that is somewhere in between a kick up directly to the wall and a kick up in the middle of the room and other handstand things to help you experience straddle handstand balance skill and mini pressing strength work

1. Side wall kick up to handstand. I got this clever and unusual idea from the creative and strong @schoolofcalisthenics. Place your hands in a diagonally facing the wall. Kick up so that one leg touches the wall.
2. Side on big circle press sweeps with straddle handstand balance. Push into the ground. Sweep the other leg TOWARDS the wall in a big circle and out to the side in a s straddle shape. If you can try to take your wall foot off the wall and balance.
3. One leg press up to straddle handstand. One leg sideways onto the wall. Push hard into the ground (and into the wall leg) and take your leg directly up. Push hard!
4. Full circle press side sweeps. One leg up on the wall to the side. Push into the ground. Sweep the other leg out into a big circle to a handstand wall balance.
5. Press side sweeps. Walk one leg up the wall. Push into the ground hard (press strength work) and sweep your other leg out to the side and back again

Be as strong as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things you want to do. 💪
#fitover50women
#schoolofcalisthenics
#calisthenics

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