From headstand to scorpion

From Sirsasana to vrschikasana:

The devil must have been riding me when I signed up for the 2-hour workshop and wished to learn how to go from headstand to scorpion.

I worked on my headstand in February. I can hold it for three minutes. I tend to get bored. Unfortunately, after three minutes I fall out of the pose. After three minutes, I don't have the strength to do slow, controlled movements.

But pushing myself into scorpion requires even more strength. It's madness.

As you can see, the backbend is pretty weak. When I fall out of the pose, I fall from very high up.

I'm going to the session tomorrow with my heart pounding. I definitely don't want to injure myself.

On the other hand, you should always have the confidence to try something. My goodness, some people manage to put their feet on their heads.

There's only one thing I can think of: Keep practising.

Pictures are the most honest feedback I know.

Well, a start has been made.

Let's see what the position looks like next year.

I'm really curious to see how the yogis will teach me to get into the pose without using the wall.

It's going to be an exciting two hours tomorrow. I’ll report back tomorrow.

PS:

There had to be more attempts. The first picture shocked me. The other pictures were better. I got into the headstand a bit further away from the wall. I now had the courage.

I also learned how to push myself up. You push your arms forward. That way you automatically come up.

I'm almost inclined to try a scorpion again.

The pictures prove what I described the other day. You have to trust yourself to do new things. That's the quickest way to learn.

In Ashtanga Yoga it’s an asana of the Advanced B series.

Why do we fall out of the headstand?

Sirsasana, February 2024

Why do we fall out of the headstand?

The better the technique, the less strength we need to hold the body in the pose. The straighter the body is, the more correct the position. The abdominal muscles are tensed to provide stability. The breath remains calm. The eyes remain relaxed.

I can see from the picture that I am not completely straight. Any tilt must be compensated for with strength.

Even if the pose is perfect, I have the feeling that I won't be able to hold myself up at some point. This is due to the lack of strength in my arms and shoulders. This strength can be built up by holding the pose a little longer each time. I use a timer for this, which has an interval function. There is a small sound every minute. This morning I held Sirsasana for 2 minutes. I felt that this was my limit today. The goal is 5 minutes.

I am very motivated because I have signed up for an asana coaching workshop at the end of February. It lasts 2 hours. Participants should let the yoga teacher know in advance which asanas or sequences they would like to practise. I wrote that I would like to move from headstand to scorpion. Scorpio is an intense backbend and a challenging balance pose at the same time. I don't know what possessed me to write something so difficult. Now I'm trying to prepare myself. I practise holding the headstand a little longer every day. Over the next few days, I will also practise the backward movement against the wall. I want my body to be optimally prepared.

This asana coaching workshop is definitely my yoga highlight in February.

Transitions

March 2020

I don’t know how I shall call this asana on the picture. It is an in-between position. There is an overlooked position that I wanted to try. I also avoid it, because it’s scary. It’s lifting the head when in sirsasana. Sirsasana is part of the closing sequence. It’s recommended to stay minimum 25 breaths in that inversion. Yet there is also a variation that one shall exercise. It is to lift the head, the chin moves to the chest.

Because I was so scary I wanted to put one foot at least at the wall. Therefore my head obviously moved in the other direction than I had intended. I bent backwards. I totally lost my straight posture. One of the reason is surely a lack of core strength. All transitions need strength. This is the topic of this month. So from tomorrow on I’ll add some strength exercises in my practice again.

Without strong arms, a strong core, strong muscles in general, transitions become difficult if not impossible.

It’s dark here already, too dark to take another picture.

To lift the head and to move the chin to the chest when in sirsasana is a position I’ll work on. I think it helps to learn pincha mayursana.

The challenge

Getting into sirsasana with straight legs, Nov 2020

Many poses of the challenge #pressingmatters look easy till I try them. It’s not the first time that I experience this when I follow a challenge on Instagram created by Carmen (@cyogalife). Trying something new is interesting. We’re on day 5 and twice I took already a picture of an easier pose that is suggested. I try the more challenging asana as well, yet safety first. If a new movement feels too awkward for me, I stop trying. I like to explore new variations of asanas. Sometimes I integrate them into my daily practice. If this is not possible I leave it behind me. I wonder: Is this a variation that I want to exercise daily? If the answer is ‘no’, I keep practicing and forget about the variation. To slow down and to do less is often good advice.

On the mat every morning I have my own challenges. It’s mainly back bending. I’m far away from where I used to be. I practice and this is what counts. I trust in the process. Asanas feel so much better already. Bridge pose felt amazing today. I could enjoy being in that pose. I repeated it three times. This is progress.

Tomorrow is Ashtanga yoga primary day. I love it.

Sirsasana

Sirsasana, Okt 2020

Last year I went to Sivananda yoga classes. Sirsasana is the first asana of the series they teach. It’s supposed to be held for 5 minutes. In the beginning of each class the mind and body are still fresh and full of energy. It was easier to hold this asana longer than I usually do when I practice Ashtanga yoga. In the Ashtanga yoga series headstand is an asana of the closing sequence. After an exhausting practice I only wanted to finish my practice. Five breaths and out I was of this pose……

To hold an asana for 5 or 10 breaths or 5 minutes is a difference. If one holds headstand for 5 breaths it’s doable with a bad posture. It’s possible to compensate a bad technique with strength. If headstand is held longer this becomes difficult. The more correct the headstand is performed the easier it is and the easier it also is to hold it longer.

The one main mistake I see everywhere in classes and online is that the elbows are too far away from each other. My arms are almost parallel. They don’t form a triangle. When the bandhas (pelvis floor and abdomen) are engaged balancing is easier.

The Sivananda yogis offer headstand workshops that last 30 minutes. Within this time frame the students learn headstand. I learned it that way. Thank you it saved me a lot of time and frustration. In order to learn headstand one must want it. Someone must teach the correct technique. A bit of strength is necessary, too. That’s all.

To hold this pose up to 10 minutes is something else as written already.

My goal is to hold sirsasana for 5 minutes. Only when held longer this inversion can benefit for the body.

I found out yesterday:

• My fingers hurt due to my rings.

• To set a timer for 5 minutes without getting informed about the time is as if I were in a time vacuum.

• Then I used a timer that indicates 5 intervals. It’s an App called multi timer that accompanies my practice these days. This interval timer is very useful.

I held sirsasana for 2 long minutes. I’m curious what is possible today.

I’m sure that holding sirsasana longer will improve this pose. It’s also a preparation for the more advanced inversions like pincha mayurasana.

The Sivananda yogis know a lot of variations, mainly the legs are in different positions.

The Ashtanga yogis know also a lot of variations, yet mainly the arms are in different positions.

Let’s keep practicing.

Involuntary break

Yesterday at 7:40 I had an appointment with the family doctor. I took the earliest possible time available. I thought that I could go home quickly after the consultation and that I would have a nice yoga practice before breakfast. But I got a vaccination (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) and this had consequences. The nurse told me not to do any sportive activities for the next three days. Your immune system will have something to do. Most people feel slightly ill, some get even low fever. In any case you’ll sense your arm. Oh yes. So true. My arm hurts. No way to do a chaturanga dandasana.

Yesterday in bed I covered my body till the chin. Only my head could be seen. My body should have it cosy and warm. I hoped that in the morning everything would be OK again. My arm is worse today. The nurse was right. It takes 3 days.

I never hear that people get vaccinated. The above mentioned vaccination we get every ten years here in Germany. I was two years too late already. It’s a luxury to get this prevention. But now is enough again for the next decade.

Practicing yoga and taking care of one’s health belong together. Sometimes this can mean to get vaccinated. Sometimes this can mean to take a break from everything. This can be difficult. My routine was so strong. A break of 4 days is long. I guess on Sunday I’ll start practicing with full power again. I’ll feel stiff.

To do nothing today is not an option. Panayama, meditation and ‘easy’ asanas are possible.

How to get into headstand

Headstand can be learned in one session.

Here are the steps:

1. Proper preparation is everything. Take care that your elbows are not too far away from each other. My arms are almost parallel. This is very important.

2. Walk with your feet to your body. It’s not necessary to have straight legs. Finally the back should be parallel to the wall.. (Picture #1)

3. Bend one leg and bring it close to the body. Only one foot is the floor. The weight should be on the arms and not on that foot. (Picture #2)

4. Jump a tiny bit to bring both leg in the same position. The closer you walked the feet to the body the less you have to jump. It’s a tiny dynamic movement. (picture #3)

5. There are three possibilities to balance: The thumbs behind the head can press against the head. Breathe evenly. Engage the bandhas. Especially the last point gives a lot of stability. When no feet is on the floor the pose is mastered. Now only the legs must move upwards. This can be done very slowly. But that’s it.

People with high blood pressure should avoid this asana.

Sirsasana is an inversion and a balancing asana. Mastering this pose gives a lot of self-confidence.

For those who are interested in beauty: Headstand is a good face lift. :)

Headstand has a lot of positive effects on the body:

• It strengthens the core muscles

• Blood circulation improves

• It improves digestion and brain function

I think it makes sense to learn first shoulder stand, then headstand, then forearm stand and then handstand.

Challenges can be to try variations and to hold this asana longer. I learned from people who held the pose for one hour. For me 1 to 5 minutes are enough. In order to experience the above mentioned positive effects this pose must be held longer than 5 breaths. One should aim for 25 breaths minimum.

Headstand

People who don’t practice yoga usually combine yoga with lotus pose (padmasana) and headstand (sirsasana).

In Ashtanga yoga a headstand is part of the closing sequence. At the end of second series seven different forms of sirsasana are exercised.

Headstand can be learned in one session.

• In the movie ‘The breathing God’ one can watch how B.K.S. Iyengar teaches a man headstand. This man had never done yoga before, it was the film maker. He was able to get into headstand very quickly. Within 10 minutes or less this man got into headstand alone and he could hold it. Iyengar only told him what to do. There were no hands on adjustments. The situation was challenging as the student had a lot of viewers.

• I learned it in one session, too. Years ago I practiced with the Sivananda people. Sirsasana is the first asana out of the twelve basic ones in their system. They know how to teach it.

Usually yoga beginners have such a huge respect and even fear to get into headstand. It’s not necessary. It’s very unlikely that one falls out of this pose. I fell out perhaps twice within decades. Nothing happened. The folded hands behind the head prevent that one falls backwards. Nevertheless I always want to have space enough in front of me in case I fall. If one falls against a wall one might injure oneself.

The main two mistakes:

1. Most people who struggle with this pose have the elbows too far away from each other. My arms are almost parallel on the floor. The wrist press into the floor.

2. Never ever go to a wall!!!! Don’t do it. Fear will become worse. I’ve seen it so often.

There are many possibilities to get into the pose. It’s easier when the legs are bent, when moving into this asana. I’m glad that I can get into the pose with straight legs again, yet this is a bit more challenging.

1. step: Learn to get into a basic handstand.

2. step: Hold this asana longer, 5 minutes could be a doable goal. Self-confidence will grow.

3. step: Exercise variations.

In order to check if the body is parallel to the wall one must take a picture. The yoga poses feel differently than they look like. A picture tells the truth.

I plan to go to a Sivananda yoga class again, after so many years. I mean they taught me how to get into headstand. Perhaps they can teach me pincha mayurasana, too.