To support ourselves upside-down, we need strength in our shoulders. This sequence is designed to open up energy lines in the arms, neck, collarbones, and shoulder girdle to prepare the body for flight. Just as we need to be sturdy in our legs to stand up and walk around, we need stability in our upper bodies when we invert. Practice the sequence below to help you build up to handstand and other inversions, and don’t forget to have fun!
Child’s Pose
Begin in Child’s Pose with your knees apart, big toes touching, and arms extended overhead. Close your eyes and give yourself a few moments to settle into your practice. Leave behind all the thoughts, to-do’s and plans, past and future. Take a slow breath in, bringing you into the NOW and then exhale deeply.
Wrist Opener
Rock yourself up to a tabletop position, on hands and knees. Flip your fingers back to point towards your knees. Take a few circles, rotating around your hands, in each direction. Flip your hands to face forwards once more.
Shoulder Opener
From here, inhale to lift your right arm. Gaze up toward your thumb, open your chest up wide, and on an exhale, thread your arm underneath your body and reach toward the left, setting your right cheek down.
Stay here for a few breaths, in and out, and then press into your left hand to lift yourself back up to center. Switch sides, stretching the left arm upward, and reaching it underneath you to the right. Once you’ve stayed for a few breaths, return to hands and knees.Core Challenge with Cat-Cow
Make sure your shoulders are stacked directly over your wrists, with your fingers spread wide. Press your hands into the ground, as though you could sink the floor beneath you. Tuck your toes, and hover your knees off of the ground. Take five slow and controlled breaths. Release your knees back to the ground.
As you inhale, drop your belly, lift your tailbone, and gaze upward for Cat Pose. As you exhale, begin to round your spine, tucking your tail and looking underneath yourself toward your belly button. Again, inhale to lift up and look up, and exhale to round. Move through these cat-cow stretches for another three to five rounds. For an added challenge, hover your knees as you articulate your spine.
Downward Dog
Lift your hips up to the sky for Downward-Facing Dog. Feel free to wiggle around a little bit, until you feel settled. Find stillness.
Plank Pose
On an inhale shift your shoulders forward to Plank Pose, so that your shoulders line up directly over your wrists, and your hips are on the same plane as your shoulders. Move from Plank back to Down Dog on an exhale. Move forward and back from Plank to Down Dog to Plank 10 more times, building some heat in the body. Breathe: inhale forward, exhale back. End up in Down Dog, and then walk your hands to your feet at the back of your mat. Put a generous bend in your knees, grab hold of your opposite elbows, and fold. Let your head hang heavy.
Forearm Side Plank Pose
Release your elbows and walk forward to Plank Pose. Release onto your forearms for Dolphin Plank, keeping your hips lifted. Bring your toes all the way together, and rotate onto the pinky side edge of your right foot, lifting your left arm up into the air. Breathe five deep breaths, and then switch onto the left side.
Sphinx Pose
Come back to center and release your hips to the ground for Sphinx Pose, with the forearms parallel and the elbows pulling isometrically back to open up the chest and upper back. Breathe up into the chest. Feel free to let out an open mouth exhale.
Shoulder Lifts
Lay onto the ground with your elbows out to your sides, creating a cactus or goal post shape. Press the tops of the feet onto the ground, and as you inhale, lift your elbows, head, and chest off of the ground. Exhale to release. Repeat these lifts five to 10 more times. Keep the pubic bone pressing into the ground to protect the low back as you strengthen the upper back, chest, and shoulders.
Dolphin Pose
Release onto the ground, bring your forearms in front of you, tuck your toes, and lift your hips up to plank. Take an inhale, and as you exhale walk your toes towards your elbows for Dolphin Pose. In this pose, your gaze is back at your toes, and the neck is relaxed. Draw your navel in toward your spine, and keep your knees lifted to engage your quadriceps. Hold for10 deep breaths. Press into your hands to return to Downward-Facing Dog.
Now that your shoulders and core are nice and warmed up, you are ready for the peak of this practice!
Donkey Kicks
Spread your fingers wide, gaze between your thumbs, come up onto your tip toes, bend your knees, and on an inhale shift your shoulders over your wrists as you try to kick your heels towards your glutes.
Forward Fold
After a few tries, (maybe you were able to hover in a tuck handstand!) end up with your feet at the top of your mat in a Forward Fold. Interlace your hands behind your back, feel free to keep a bend in your knees, and stretch your arms overhead. Give your shoulders a sweet stretch here, as you slow your breath down.
Release your arms, and take a seat. I recommend propping your hips up onto a pillow, block, or blanket. Rest your hands on your thighs, close your eyes, and bring all of your awareness to your breath. You can stay in this seated meditation for as long as you like. Encourage yourself to stay for at least five minutes, trying to quiet the mind and observe the effects of the practice.
Photos by Chloe Crespi
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