Yoga Flow – Core Into Handstand

Yoga Flow – Core Work Leading Into Handstand

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To start, I want you to really think about sucking in your stomach, like you are zipping up the TIGHTEST pair of jeans you own, and keep it sucked in like a vacuum seal. In yoga, this is called Uddiyana Bandha, which means contraction of your abdomen to your rib cage.  This does two things – fires up your core and allows you to have more flexibility.

Keep your belly suctioned in and keep your knees as straight as possible as you fold straight down and plant your hands as flat as possible on the floor in front of your feet. The suction of your belly should actually allow you to have more space to get into a deeper forward fold than you would have with a relaxed belly. Remember.. for this, it’s not about relaxation – this is for preparing your body to do deeper work.

Then walk your hands out, flat, as you inch out into a high plank. On your way down try to keep your heels connected to the floor as long as possible and keep your legs active – your quads should be super flexed as you end up on the balls/ toes of your feet. But keep the belly suctioned in. I know this is a lot to remember, but after a few times, this will come naturally, and go slowly, don’t rush through. Fast is not better here.

Make sure in your high plank, your shoulders are stacked above your elbows then wrists and press up, as if you were trying to touch the ceiling with your upper back. Your belly should be suctioned in and your quads should be flexed so much you can flip over your toes and be on the tops of your feet if you wanted. Because you are pressing the ground away so much and you are so contracted you should feel light as your entire body is engaged. Hold this for five seconds – your body should remain nice and hollow.

Stay on the balls of your feet and leading with your booty, press your booty up into the air as you roll back into a downward dog position. As you glide into that position, actively press your heels down toward the floor and your head through your shoulders like you are trying to kiss your knee caps – but remember.. suction the belly in, and that will give you ore flexibility here too. You can peddle out your feet here – lifting up one at a time.

Then glide back forward into your high plank, onto the balls of your feet with quads engaged, belly sucked in, upper back aiming toward ceiling and shoulders stacked over wrists. Glide back and forth between downward dog and the hollow body high plank a few times, ending in downward dog with your belly sucked in, and inch back to forward fold by bringing your hands to your feet. This is just to give your shoulders a little break before you inch worm back into your hollow high plank and then glide into downward dog.

From there, lift your right leg. Contract your right glute and aim your right heel to the sky but keep your hips level, so think about bringing your right toes in a little. As you glide down into your hollow high plank, also bring your right knee to right tricep. Keeping your belly sucked in will make touching easier. Glide back into downward dog with right leg lifted and the glide back into your hollow body high plank with your right knee toward your nose, back to downward dog and then into your hollow body high plank with your right knee to your left tricep, then back to downward dog with your right leg lifted, then lower. Do the same exact thing with your left leg to left tricep, nose, then right tricep.

Inch your hands (flat) back to standing forward fold with your belly suctioned in to give your shoulders a break, again. Walk your hands (flat) into your hollow body high plank again, back to downward dog and repeat the knees to elbows sequence again on both sides. Optional on this round – if you want to open up your top hip between your knees to elbows, feel free to follow along as I did in the video.

These will really fire up your core and shoulders, giving them both an opportunity to do deeper work. The more strength endurance that you have with these two muscle groups, the easier being inverted will be.

Once you have made it through all of your knees to elbows and nose on each side, I want you to TIP TOE your feet toward your hands, really keeping your belly suctioned in. The tip toe part is important here because that will keep your quads engaged. Keep your hands flat on the floor and your shoulders and elbows stacked over your wrists. This is a good time as well to think about gripping the floor with your fingers – they are there to stabilize you.

Bring whichever leg feels natural into the air and think about lifting that leg up to the wall behind you. Don’t worry so much about the other leg as it will kinda get “pulled” up too. As your core remains engaged you should have a moment of weightlessness. You can kick into the wall behind you or do this free standing. But if you have a wall, try to make no noise as you touch. And remember, when you make it up, keep squeezing your quads and keep pressing the ground away from you with your shoulders to stay active.

This yoga flow is part of Kyra Williams Fitness’ personal fitness online workout plan and workout routines because it will help prepare your core and shoulders for handstands.

Your Coach,

Kyra

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