Imagine Hunchback and Notre Dame doing bunny hops and that will almost give you an idea of what I looked like Saturday morning.
I cannot do a handstand, at all. I have tried countless of times against a wall. No matter what, as soon as I kick my legs up, panic strikes and my feet don't even go above 90 degrees. Instead, I flop to the floor with even more doubt of my ability. 'My shoulders aren't strong enough...I am too heavy, I need to loose a limb or two...I am scared I will fall...' I can do a headstand (not gracefully) against a wall and occasionally I've managed to launch my head up with only my hands placed on the ground but, that's just occasionally.. and with padding under my head...
I cannot do a handstand, at all. I have tried countless of times against a wall. No matter what, as soon as I kick my legs up, panic strikes and my feet don't even go above 90 degrees. Instead, I flop to the floor with even more doubt of my ability. 'My shoulders aren't strong enough...I am too heavy, I need to loose a limb or two...I am scared I will fall...' I can do a headstand (not gracefully) against a wall and occasionally I've managed to launch my head up with only my hands placed on the ground but, that's just occasionally.. and with padding under my head...
Last week an email popped up titled: 'Handstand class.' A new class running at Lomax Bespoke health and fitness every Tuesday and Saturday led by Chez Teagann; certified personal trainer, yoga teacher, WBFF competitor, pole dancer and ariel hoop gymnast. I replied to the email straight away thinking that, just maybe, this person might be able to get me to do a handstand.
I got up early Saturday morning, slipped on some stretchy leggings and a loose top (which, when spending the majority of the class topsy-turvy is not the best choice of clothing. Anytime I bent over my top draped over my chin and I replicated the shadow of a bat haha).
We were tucked away in Lomax' small Pilates studio hidden on the top floor; with all white washed walls and a wooden white floor. At first I was worried the whole place wasn't padded out with safety mats and bubble wrap equipped for my handstand ability or, lack of it.
There was only 5 of us in the class to allow Chez to keep attention on everyone and dedicate more time to helping each of us individually as well. We kicked things off with a series of warms ups and conditioning exercises diagonally across, from one corner of the room, to the other. The drills included walking with arms up straight on our tippy-toes, leaps in a pike position, plank walks, bunny hops, lunges, and single leg springs (as in the start movement of a handstand - pushing off with one leg whilst stretching the other out up into the air). Chez made every drill look easy; carrying each out with perfect form and ballerina grace.
At the end we had to put our feet up resting on a barre and get our upper body into a handstand position - holding for 20 seconds. We practised this a few times and then we finished the class with gymnastic style core work. Again, Chez demoed these effortlessly; sitting upright lifting her feet up to pulse maintaining impeccable form, and me, attempting it like a wrecking ball in the back; my feet crashing to the ground each time. And I thought my core was strong!
The class was great and so difficult for me. A lot of the girls in the class were yogis; typically stretchy and bendy, whereas my weightlifting bod, was the complete opposite; tight and sore! I can't wait to try it again and it's given me lots of ideas, or should I say 'homework', in my quest to finally be able to handstand. It's a unique class and it will put your core to the test.
Here's a few sources I have found to help you join in my handstand quest:
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