admin In many inverted yoga poses, we must cultivate and trust the strength in our forearms and shoulders to support us. And once you’ve made it, there’s a whole new world of your practice to unlock.
Learn the whys and hows of 5 poses that will help you build strength in your forearms.
Hasta bandha drills
Why: Every square inch of contact with the mat is important when you are balancing. We’re talking about your hands. Sanskrit “Hasta bandha,” which means “hand lock,” is used to describe the practice.
How to: To engage the hastabandha, grip the mat firmly as though you were trying to wrap your arms around the lid of a jar. You can use all parts of your hands. Press down with your fingertips and the heel of your hand.
Forearm plank
Why: The forearm plank strengthens the core. You can also practice gripping your mat with both hands while in forearm plank to activate that hasta bandha.
& Set your elbows under your shoulders and place your forearms on the floor. As you reach your crown towards the front, press your heels towards the wall behind. This will create a line of energy that runs from your heel to your head. To lift your shoulders, press your elbows into your mat.
Dolphin Pose
Why: The Dolphin Pose is the first step to becoming comfortable with balancing your body on your forearms. You are trying to get your hips above the shoulders in this pose. This pose is VERY HARD. You’ll notice the muscles in your back, shoulders, and core strengthening after a minute or two.
& how to: Walk your feet toward your elbows as if you were walking into a front fold. Try shifting your weight onto your forearms so that your feet become lighter.
Chaturanga
Why you should do it: Chaturanga is the foundation of many yoga poses. Inversions have the same shape as chaturanga but with your feet raised above your head. Forearm balancing poses use the same condition as Chaturanga arms to create a stable foundation on the ground.
& How To: Shift your weight forward onto your toes from your high plank to bring your shoulders in front of your hands. Reduce your weight halfway so that you make 90-degree angles between the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and floor. Apply the principles you learned from the forearm plank. Stay here and breathe. This is a posture.
Wall L
Why: It is a practice exercise that will bring you closer to an inversion of your forearms.
How to: Press your feet against a wall while sitting down. You want to be this far from the border. Place your hands on your hips. Walk up the wall in a dolphin pose so that you are at the same height as your hips. Your hips should be directly above your shoulders. This should be held for 30 seconds up to 1 minute. Increase your time gradually.
It’s not necessary to know the pose in order to do it. But you must practice the pose if you want to master it. It’s called a yoga practice, not “yoga perfection,” for a good reason. Use these five strength-building poses to boost your confidence and improve your ability to balance.
