Intermediate Practice: Armpits and Elbows (Inversions)
Disclaimer
Intermediate practices are for those who have been attending classes regularly for two years or more, who have a consistent and regular home practice, and who have familiarity with the basic standing poses, floor poses and with supported shoulder stand. In these practices, the information becomes a little more technical as the poses become more challenging and other inversions are introduced. Always seek out the guidance of a qualified teacher before you attempt new poses, especially inversions and Head Stand, so that they may instruct you in the safest way to approach them. There is no substitute for instruction from a seasoned teacher.
About The Practice
This intermediate forward bend practice begins with standing poses to wake up the hips This intermediate inversions practice begins with reclined poses to soften and widen the chest and back, and open the shoulders. It follows with floor poses to integrate the legs and arms into the torso before going into Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Hand Stand), Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand), Salamba Shirshasana 1 (Head Stand 1), and shoulder stand variations.
Practice Tips
- Widen your back and chest evenly.
- Soften your deltoids and armpits.
- Lengthen and strengthen your inner and outer armpits.
- Soften and widen your shoulder blades and collarbones and allow them to move with your arms.
- Allow the flesh of your forearms to move towards your hands and the flesh of your upper arms to move towards your shoulders.
- In Salamba Sarvangasana 1 (Shoulder Stand 1), move your forearms down onto your upper arms to support your torso rather than press your hands into your back.
Sequence
Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose) [5 min]
Supta Urdhva Hastasana forearms belted
Back Bend over bolster forearms belted
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)forearms belted
Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose) hands on blocks
Supta Padangusthasana 1 (Reclined Bog Toe Pose 1) belt loop handle for foot
Supta Padangusthasana 2 (Reclined Bog Toe Pose 2) belt loop handle for foot
Urdhva Prasarita Padasana blanket under head, block between feet/calves belted, hands under blocks
Jathara Parivartanasana (Belly Turning Pose) knees bent, block between thighs, pulling out on mat to ground arms
Jathara Parivartanasana (Belly Turning Pose) legs straightening, block between feet, pulling out on mat to ground arms
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)forearms belted
Ardha Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Right-Angle Hand Stand) feet against the wall
Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Hand Stand) against the wall, kicking up with primary leg
Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Hand Stand) against the wall, kicking up with second leg
Child’s Pose
Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand Prep) block between hands, forearms belted shoulder width, body as in Downward Facing Dog
Child’s Pose
Ardha PIncha Mayurasana (Right-Angle Forearm Stand) feet against the wall, block between hands, forearms belted shoulder width
PIncha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand) against the wall, kicking up with primary leg
PIncha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand) against the wall, kicking up with secondary leg
Salamba Shirshasana (Head Stand) preparation
- Place one block at its tallest height close to the wall and two blocks on top at their lowest height pointing lengthwise out and resting against the wall.
- Place your palms against the bottom block, your forearms on the floor and lift up into a headless head stand preparation, walking in to rest your upper back against the blocks.
- Hold for two or three minutes, allowing your neck to ease and lengthen evenly around its circumference, and your head to ease towards the floor as you press your forearms down and lift your upper arms.
- Widen your chest and upper back evenly.
Salamba Shirshasana 1 (Head Stand 1) with primary finger interlock [1 to 3 min]
Salamba Shirshasana 1 (Head Stand 1) with secondary finger interlock [1 to 3 min]
Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose) high blocks under sacrum, knees bent, feet flat on floor
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) Cycle:
- Salamba Sarvangasana 1 (Shoulder Stand 1)
- Halasana (Plough Pose) with arm variations
- Salamba Sarvangasana 1 (Shoulder Stand 1)
- Halasana (Plough Pose) arms overhead
Shavasana (Corpse Pose) blankets under torso and head, breath awareness
About Yoga: Art+Science
This post originally appeared on my former blog, Yoga: Art+Science, a passion project that I ran from 2004 to 2014 that accumulated more than 1000 posts and articles. It appears here as part of a project to revisit all that material and update it to make it fresh and relevant to a modern yoga practice.
If you enjoyed this practice, I’d love to share my approach to yoga with you. I hold weekly classes online and new students are very welcome. Hope to see you there!
