[B]Hi,
I can do a headstand pose if I am up against a wall, but haven’t been able to do this in the center of a room.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I am determined to do this inversion sooner or later.[/B]
T[B][/B]hanks
When your up against a wall you can pretty much throw your self up.
It should go very slow when you are doing it. You can do it in 3 steps and practice 1st step and when you master that take next step. Last step is when you straighten legs and become straight. Ask a teacher to show you.
This is how I was taught to do it, and it works for me.
Kneel on the floor and then place your fingertips on the opposite arm, near the elbow, so your almost crossing your arms but not quite (think hand position in that russian dance when they squat and kick their legs out!)
Keeping your hands in that position, lean forward so your arms touch the floor, keep your elbows in position and fold your arms out away from you, so they form a triangle.
clasp fingers together. This is now your base, so don’t move your elbows or hands from this position.
Place the top of your head on the floor with the back nestling into your clasped hands and straighten your legs, like you would in dog pose.
Keeping your legs straight, walk your legs forward and you will slowly begin to lift. As you lift of the floor, don’t go straight up, keep your legs bent in the air first and get your balance. When balanced, slowly straighten your legs up.
It’s a bit difficult to explain in words - basically, take time to get the base set up right and then go up slowly.
Yoga doc says to use with caution Due to stress on the upper spin i believe, I have brain injury so I am heeding her valuable advise ,I am tempted everyday to try it ,then I think I don’t want to step backwards in my condition
Cheers
Just as standing straight is not Tadasana (mountain pose) and lying down is not Savasana (corpse pose) being on the head with the legs up in the air is not (necessarily) Sirsasana.
There are several preparations for Sirsaana (headstand). There is finding the action of the serratus anterior to abduct the shoulder blades (a critical action for all upper extremity weight bearing). There is the proper clasping and intertwining of the fingers to stabilize the skull and subsequent placement of the head such that the cervical curve is preserved in the pose. And there is the powerful rooting of the foundation which runs from the little finger, through the outer wrist and forearm, to the elbow.
Assuming these things, coming up at the wall would next incorporate coming up with the legs together, under control. Once up, moving the heels off the wall and balancing is the next step WITHOUT losing the previously outlined actions. After this the next obstacle is usually only fear. When the student can do all these aforementioned things and still not come up in the middle of the room it is only an energetic/emotional block.
The more profound help must be coming from your teacher however, as that is the person that can see you and your practice and thus best direct you.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;78976]the action of the serratus anterior to abduct the shoulder blades. [/QUOTE]
Can you kindly elaborate on this action? Does it mean :
(a) Serratus anterior “hugs” the upper body in the direction of armpits? and
(b) Shoulder blades moving toward the direction of Lumbar spine, or away from the ears? and
© Shoulder blades moving toward each other, or mid-line of body? and
(d) Shoulder blades moving into body, which lifts the front chest?
Regards,
None of the above.
The muscle in question attaches to the should blade’s medial border (the side closest to the spine) and runs underneath the shoulder blade, toward the side of the torso, attaching at the upper 8 or 9 ribs.
The action I’m referencing is a contraction of the muscle which spreads (abducts, as mentioned) the shoulder blades away from the spine. There are other secondary movements and other muscles since the body is a synergistic organism but this is the primary action I’m referencing.
a) the muscle does move toward the back of the rib cage when contracted but “hugs toward the armpits” doesn’t speak to me.
b) as the scapulae move away from the spine yes they also rotate. However the serratus anterior is not the puller toward the lumbar spine. This is another action, an appropriate one, and necessary but not what I was referencing.
c) not at all moving in this direction as this is adduction, the opposite of abduction.
d) some teachers use this description and yes the shoulder blades do move onto the back of the rib cage when the serratus anterior is contracted. However the proper action I’m referencing can cause the chest to collapse NOT lift and therefore it needs to be countered with another action. But that is another topic.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;78994]The muscle in question attaches to the should blade’s medial border (the side closest to the spine) and runs underneath the shoulder blade, toward the side of the torso, attaching at the upper 8 or 9 ribs. The action I’m referencing is a contraction of the muscle which spreads (abducts, as mentioned) the shoulder blades away from the spine… [/QUOTE]
Thank you very much for detailed explanations of the said muscle, and actions in headstand. I was mistaken the serratus anterior inserts onto the lateral side of blades (as most anatomy pictures had the blades covering the muscle) instead of the medial side, this picture from yahoo has the blades removed http://www.team-pcs.org/wp-content/uploads/serratus_anterior1.png.
I can see now how it help establish stability in the ribs and strong foundation in headstand ! Thanks again.
While at the wall, practice raising one leg while straight, and then lightly spring off the opposite foot, straightening the leg and drawing the two together. When you can achieve this without your feet falling to the wall behind you, you will be ready to practice away from the wall.