In Ashtanga Yoga, Why You Should Do Handstands

Handstands—or Adho Mukha Vrksasana—are considered by many to be the hardest pose in yoga. This pose is popular among the intermediate and advanced practitioners of Ashtanga Yoga, but some beginner yogis take on the challenge as well.

If you're not sure why you should do handstands in Ashtanga Yoga, let me give an overview of what they have to offer and why you should take a class today.

Why You Should Do Handstands

Handstands are a fundamental pose in Ashtanga yoga, and they may be the most difficult one that you'll ever do. A strong upper body is essential to performing handstands well, as is a strong lower body and core.

Handstands also require excellent balance and coordination. If you practice handstands regularly and with patience, you will see great results.

Handstands In Yoga Build Strength

Handstands are a great way to build upper body strength. They will help you develop your shoulders, triceps and biceps. Handstands are also a great way to build lower body strength. Handstands will strengthen your hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves and ankles.

Handstands are an excellent core-strengthening exercise as well since they require you to engage all four abdominal muscles simultaneously: the rectus abdominis (the six-pack muscle), internal and external obliques, transverse abdominis and erector spinae (lower back).

Handstands Increase Upper Body Strength

Handstands help you learn how to balance your upper body over your lower body, which is integral for proper handstand alignment.

They also improve posture, which is something we could all use a little more of.

Handstands can improve shoulder mobility because they demand that you lift up from a downward-facing dog position — meaning you have to move through the shoulder joint rather than just going straight into it.

Improve Lower Body Strength

Handstands are a great way to improve lower body stability, balance and overall fitness. Ashtanga yoga is an ancient practice that uses handstands as the primary pose in its approach to developing physical strength, flexibility and mental focus.

Handstands can be used as a tool for improving all aspects of your health, including cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, balance and coordination.

In addition, pranayama techniques such as Ujjayi Breath help the muscles stay engaged throughout each breath cycle. In your yoga practice, this helps keep balance steady even when fatigue sets in later on down the road.

Handstands In Yoga Can Improve Mental Focus

When you first start to practice handstands, everything is new and confusing and scary. But with time and patience, the fear of falling goes away, and your mind starts to refocus on the task at hand: staying balanced in this upside-down position for as long as possible.

While performing handstands in class or at home, there's no time for distractions; all of our attention must be directed towards maintaining balance.

This heightened focus can carry over into other areas of life too—studies show that students who regularly practice yoga have improved mental focus.

So next time you're feeling stressed out about a project deadline...go get upside down.

Handstand Yoga Class In Canggu

You don’t need to be an advanced practitioner to join a handstand class. That would be like saying if you don’t speak French you shouldn’t go to a class to learn French. The class is for all experiences with different exercises for different levels.

Handstands are an incredible way to increase blood flow to the head, activates the kneck as well as builds confidence and connection to your higher self. Specifically, Adho Mukha Vrksasana sends energy from the root chakra to the crown chakra.

It’s a full body affair. B.K.S. Iyengar, writes in Light on Yoga, “[Handstand] develops the body harmoniously. It strengthens the shoulders, arms and wrists and expands the chest fully.”

A class is a safe, supported way to understand and experience the handstand world with all the new perspectives it offers.

During our handstand class at Ubuntu Bali, we build up the strength and mobility to invert with increasing ease. There are many building blocks that you can start working on today that will allow you to experience the benefits of this super fun pose.

Handstands are a great stepping stone for students who want to take their yoga practice to the next level. See you on the mat!