There's something magical about inversions. According to yogic myth & tradition, practicing inversions was a key to longevity. They build focus, core strength, balance and invite us to flip our perspective (literally & figuratively), getting us out of our heads and into the present moment.
Most of us though, whether new to yoga or long-time practitioners, have a fear or story about inversions:
- No way! Can't do it.
- I'll fall on my head.
- I'm not strong enough.
- I'll look like an idiot
Staring down those limiting voices and daring to kick up anyway is a powerful way to break down old beliefs of what you're capable of and a great adrenaline rush. It wasn't until I found Forrest Yoga though that I learned how to gradually build the comfort and strength to safely and successively go upside-down.
Forrest Yoga Summer Inversion Challenge
For 22 days in July, a group of yogis and I committed to practicing daily and posting our experiences online while supporting and inspiring one another. Rather than jumping into the big inversions like Handstand and Forearm Balance right away, we built up slowly using basic Forrest Yoga moves, stretches and strength builders to get our bodies ready and tried out lots of pose modifications along the way. If you missed the challenge but would like to create your own or try any of these poses out for your self, a break down of each is posted below.
To find out about & join the next challenge, follow me on Instagram (@lisadayyoga) &/or Facebook (@lisadayyoga)
List of Poses
Scroll down for photos, videos and more details about each pose.
- Breathing & Wrist Stretches
- Wrapping the Shoulders & Downward Facing Dog (DD)
- Unlocking the Shoulders & Turbo Dog
- Dolphin Prelude & Dolphin
- Active Feet & DD/Turbo Dog/Dolphin 1 leg up
- Abs with a Roll & DD on wall
- Dolphin on wall
- DD/Dolphin on wall - 1 leg up
- Flash Prep
- DD/Dolphin Splits on wall
- Handstand
- Forearm Balance (FB)
- Handstand/FB with a partner
- Handstand/FB Splits
- Straddle Lifting Through & Handstand/FB Straddle
- Star Chakra
- Handstand/FB Baddha Konasana
- Handstand Lotus Variations
- Vertical Splits or Flying Pigeon
- Eka Pada Bakasana
- Scorpion
- Yogi’s Choice
Day 1: Breathing and Wrist Stretches
Breathing
We’re starting with the breath today. Deep, mindful breath is the foundation for everything else we do in yoga, including inversions. Especially when entering the spook zone, we need our breath to keep us calm, focused and centered
Use your lung capacity breath, inhaling and exhaling through the nose while practicing every pose throughout this challenge.
This not only keeps you present and makes it a lot easier to get your feet off the floor but it allows you to stay connected to your body so that you can feel and make choices that support and strengthen it.
Wrist Stretches
I love wrist stretches. It’s one of the things that first got me hooked on Forrest Yoga.
So much of what we do from driving, to working with our hands or holding a cell phone closes off the energy in our hands and tightens the muscles in our hands and forearms. Wrist stretches create space in the joints and length in the muscles.
There are 3 stages of wrist stretches in Forrest Yoga. In this video, I’m sharing my favorite of the 3.
To see all 3 stages, check out this longer video on my YouTube page: https://youtu.be/lCie-DO0Mro
Day 2: Wrapping the Shoulders and Downward Facing Dog
Downward Facing Dog
Downward Facing Dog, an essential part of any yoga class and a great pose for practicing Wrapping the Shoulders while bearing weight.
In class, Down Dog is often a resting pose used to transition from one set of poses to another or between sides. That's not to say it's effortless.
The most common troubles I see with Down Dog are strain in the wrists, neck and shoulders. Wrapping the shoulders plus working with Active Hands (another Forrest Yoga basic move) alleviates and prevents this.
To do: Come into Downward Facing Dog with hands at least shoulder width apart.
If your hamstrings or back are tight, walk your feet a little wider and bend the knees.
Actively spread your fingers apart on your mat with middle finger pointing to 12 o'clock to put the wrist in a good position.
Press away from your mat through your whole palm and all 10 fingers. This draws the weight of your upper body up the arms, preventing collapse in the wrists.
To wrap the shoulders, draw your shoulder blades away from your ears, then wrap them around your ribs toward your arm pits.
If your shoulders are very tight, this may be a small move at first. You should feel more space around the base of your neck and across the upper back, allowing your neck to relax. You'll also feel some engagement in the muscles of your chest and under your arms.
If you feel like you can't move your shoulders at all, walk your hands further apart.
Wrapping the Shoulders
Wrapping the Shoulders is a basic Forrest Yoga move, meaning that we do it in almost every posture - it’s that important as it creates strength and stability without strain. It's also one of the most powerful moves you can build into your practice to release neck and shoulder pain and feel supported in inversions
To do: Lift your arms overhead. Inhale into your upper back.
Exhale, slide your shoulder blades down your back, away from your ears. Next, wrap the shoulder blades around the side of your rib cage toward your arm pits. The arms will stay overhead but you’ll feel new length in your neck and space around the base of it.
Many of us are habitually tight in the neck and shoulders, leading to gripping in these areas, often without our even realizing it. Adding this move into your practice will build your awareness of these areas. Each time you find your shoulders hanging out near your ear lobes, slide them back down and feel for wrapping them around toward the chest. Then inhale into the space you just created to uptake the sweetness of this simple move.
Day 3: Unlocking the Shoulders and Turbo Dog
Turbo Dog
Turbo dog took me a long time to love. I knew from the get go that it was just the medicine that my achey wrists and stiff, weak right shoulder needed to find strength and relief but that didn’t mean it was love at first sight.
It lit up muscles I didn’t know I had.
It showed me all the ways I like to struggle and strain my neck.
It felt like a victory if I could hold the pose for even 3 breaths.
But that’s the beauty of yoga - every day is a new chance to practice. It also gives us a safe space in which to feel, to notice our struggle and to make a different choice. Over years of practice and learning to soften in my neck while engaging strongly in my hands, arms, back and chest, Turbo Dog and I became friends and now it’s a part of every practice.
Before coming into Turbo Dog, practice the Unlocking the Shoulders move. Once you feel comfortable with this movement and are able to feel the muscles of your chest, underarms and back engage while keeping the neck relaxed and the shoulder blades wide and away from the ears, try adding weight by practicing Turbo Puppy and Turbo Dog.
Unlocking the Shoulders
Unlocking the Shoulders is my absolute favorite Forrest yoga move for releasing tension and creating space in the neck and shoulders, particularly for inversions. It teaches greater awareness of the movement of the shoulder blade (which many of us are numb to due to constant tension in this area) and activates the muscles of the back, underarm and chest to support the shoulder girdle while bearing weight in the arms.
You can practice this move with both arms together or one arm at a time. In this quick video, I show both arms together; however, if you’re new to this or working with an injury on one side, I recommend trying each arm individually before trying them together which will allow you to feel any differences in tension, effort and range of motion.
A longer video showing all the stages of Unlocking the Shoulders and how to use that move to find strength and ease in inversions, can be found on my YouTube page: https://youtu.be/Df8qTDxy4gc
Day 4: Dolphin Prelude and Dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphin is an awesome pose for healing and strengthening the muscles in the chest, upper back and shoulder girdle.
It can also be an intense pose and if done without proper alignment and engagement, it can strain the neck and shoulders.
The foundation of this pose is Unlocking the Shoulders. Today, we’ll take that move and use it while bearing weight.
To come into Dolphin: Come down to elbows & knees with your elbows slightly closer together than shoulder width. Clasp your hands in front of you. Relax your head and neck.
Inhale into your upper back. Spread your shoulder blades and wrap them around your ribs toward your arm pits. Press fingers, wrists and forearms into the floor and squeeze upper arms towards each other until you feel your chest muscles turn on.
Exhale, curl the toes under, lift your knees and hips and press up into Dolphin.
This is the moment where it can get intense so get your breath big. Inhale into upper back and spread your shoulders. Press into the floor and lift chest away from it and back towards your legs.
Check out my YouTube page for a quick video that will walk you step by step into Dolphin. There are also videos on Wrapping & Unlocking the Shoulders which are the foundation of this pose.
Dolphin Prelude
Dolphin prelude is a yummy warm up for Dolphin or all on its own as a stretch for the ribs, underarms, chest and back.
To come into: Start on hands and knees (I like to put a blanket under my knees for padding for this) then back your knees up about 6" so they're behind your hips and walk the knees wide apart.
Set elbows down and clasp upper arms to measure the correct distance (elbows should be closer than shoulders). Clasp hands.
Inhale into your upper back. Exhale, extend hips back toward heels, lengthening ribs and spine.
Rest forehead on floor, then lift hands and forearms up, bringing armpits towards the floor.
Wrap the shoulders.
Day 5: Active Feet and Downward Facing Dog or Dolphin with 1 Leg Up
Day 5 is our first step at taking a foot off the floor. Ready for this? Get your breath big, smooth and loud enough to drown out those freaked out inner voices. Yogis choice: come into Downward Facing Dog, Turbo Dog or Dolphin. Pick your favorite to start, then try the one that you find most challenging and find out if lifting one leg changes the pose for you.
Walk your feet closer together. Inhale into your upper back, spread your shoulders and lift one foot up.
Exhale, press into the floor and lift up through your arms, hips and foot. Don't just let that lifted leg be dead weight. Time to turn on your active feet, which is another Forrest yoga basic move. Working with active feet turns on the muscles in the legs, allowing energy to move. Spread your toes and reach out through the ball of your foot as if you could touch the ceiling.
Reach out so much through that lifted leg that you draw the weight out of your wrists and shoulders and shift your weight back.
When you really turn that lifted leg on (and remember to wrap the shoulders), you'll realize that doing so allows more space and ease in the upper body.
See my YouTube page for videos on Wrapping the Shoulders & Unlocking the Shoulders which are the foundation of this pose.
Day 6: Abs with a Roll and Down Dog on the Wall
Down Dog on the Wall
Down Dog at the wall is a great strength and confidence builder for handstand.
To do: Set up in Downward Facing Dog with your feet near the wall.
Inhale and step one leg at a time up the wall. Feet will be about 3 feet from the floor and legs should be parallel to the floor. Torso is perpendicular to the floor with shoulders directly over wrists and head hanging down towards the floor.
Press both hands and all 10 fingers actively into the mat and push away from the floor. Wrap the shoulders.
Now lift up through your sit bones, engage your belly muscles and press your feet into the wall.
Feel for the same engagement in the abs and legs that you felt in Abs with the Roll.
Hold for as many smooth breaths as you can and then step one leg down at a time.
If stepping both feet up the wall feels like too much, trying stepping just one foot up. Press the ball of the lifted leg into the wall and reach up through your heel to draw the weight out of your wrists and for a yummy hamstring stretch.
For a step by step walkthrough of Downward Facing Dog on the Wall including variations, go to my YouTube page.
Abs with a Roll
Day 6 is our first inversion with both feet off the floor - Downward Facing Dog at the Wall. But first, we’re going to warm up with a Forrest Yoga Abdominal exercise called Abs with a Roll.
Why? Abdominal work gets the blood pumping, warming up the body and allowing us to breathe more deeply. It also turns on the core muscles in the belly and back which we’ll need to support and lift our weight By adding the roll (or block), we’re also engaging our inner thighs in legs.
To do this you’ll need a rolled up yoga mat or large towel or a yoga block.
To do: Lie down on your back. Place the rolled up mat, towel or block in between your legs down by your pubic bone. Clasp your fingers behind your head and point your elbows up towards the ceiling.
Lift your feet up toward the ceiling.
Inhale, press your low back into the floor. Squeeze your roll or block and reach up actively through the balls of the feet.
Exhale, curl head and shoulders up and pull your low belly down toward the floor.
Inhale, lower head and shoulders and repeat.
For a full tutorial and walkthrough of Abs with a Roll including variations and modifications for tight backs, go to my YouTube page.
Day 7: Dolphin on the Wall
Dolphin on the wall is a great strength and confidence builder as we move toward Forearm Balance. It’s also a nice alternative to Downward Facing Dog on the Wall or Handstand if you’re working with wrist sensitivity.
By stepping the feet up the wall, the weight and challenge is increased but by engaging the abs, lifting your sit bones straight up toward the ceiling, turning on the inner legs and pressing feet into the wall, you can also increase your power and lift.
To do: Set up in Dolphin with your feet near the wall.
Inhale and step one leg at a time up the wall. Legs should be parallel to the floor and torso perpendicular to the floor with shoulders over elbows and head hanging down towards the floor. Head should not be touching the floor. If it is, you may need to walk the elbows closer together and/or push actively away from the floor with hands, wrists and forearms.
Wrap the shoulders so that shoulder blades are wide and the neck is long and relaxed.Now lift up through your sit bones, engage your belly muscles and press your feet into the wall. Feel for the same engagement in the abs and legs that you felt in Abs with the Roll.
Hold for as many smooth breaths as you can and then step one leg down at a time.
If stepping both feet up the wall feels like too much, trying stepping just one foot up. Press the ball of the lifted leg into the wall and reach up through your heel to draw the weight out of your wrists and for a yummy hamstring stretch.
For a step by step walkthrough of Wrapping the shoulders and Dolphin, see my YouTube page.
Day 8: Downward Facing Dog or Dolphin on the Wall, Taking 1 Leg Up
If this is a big spook zone for you, start with the one that you feel more comfortable in. If you’re feeling feisty, pick the one that you’d rather avoid. ;)
See the previous days posts for step by step tutorials and videos for coming into either of these poses.
Once you’re in your pose, get your deep soothing breathe going.
Inhale, actively press away from the floor with whatever part of your hands and arms are on the floor. Engage belly muscles, lift your sit bones up toward the ceiling and smoothly, lift one foot off the wall, reaching it up towards the ceiling.
Turn on your active feet, spreading the toes and reach up through the ball of the foot of the lifted leg as if you could touch the ceiling. Feel how engaging the leg helps draw the weight out of your hands and shoulders.
Try to hold for 4-5 breaths and switch sides.
If you’re not quite ready to take a foot off the wall, practice keeping both feet on the wall or down level to Down Dog or Dolphin with 1 leg up or Down Dog or Dolphin on the floor. Remember that none of these poses are better than another. They all offer different benefits and challenges - pick the one that your body is ready for and that you can breathe and be present in today.
For a step by step walkthrough of the basic moves involved in these poses, see my YouTube page.
Day 9: Flash Prep
Flash Prep is a powerful pose for turning on the muscles in the chest, upper back and arms.
The pre-req for Flash Prep is being able to hold Dolphin with the wrists and forearms parallel without collapsing in the shoulders. If that’s a challenge, you can continue working Dolphin with hands clasped, focusing on engaging the chest muscles by actively squeezing the upper arms toward one another.
Flash Prep was developed by Ana Forrest for one her Guardian teachers during her recovery from a mastectomy and cancer treatments to re-establish feeling, connection and strength in her chest. I find that more than any other inversion, it challenges me to really wrap the shoulder of the forward arm in order to hold without strain.
Personally, this pose is amazing for feeling out the differences between my right and left sides and strengthening them individually.
It’s much more challenging for me to find the wrap of my shoulder on the right side, so when coming in to this pose, I often exaggerate the wrap to get the shoulder in place and then need to be much more aware of strongly pushing up and away from the floor so that the shoulder blade stays wide on my back. In either pose, keep your head off the floor. If it's touching, the arms may be too far apart and/or you need to push more strongly away from the floor.
In the video I show Flash Prep with the left arm forward but make sure to work the pose on both sides in your practice.
For a step by step walkthrough of the foundations of this pose, Wrapping the shoulders and Dolphin, see my YouTube page.
Day 10: Down Dog or Dolphin Splits on the Wall
Similar to Day 8, Downward Facing Dog or Dolphin at the Wall taking 1 leg up; today we’re pushing further out of the comfort zone by reaching that leg not only up but forward towards the top of the mat.
By reaching out actively through both legs while reaching up through sit bones, you may even be able to lift up onto the toes of the foot on the wall or step it off completely (even if only by 1/2” for a second). As you play with this position, you’ll feel that the spread legs actually help to keep you balanced. .
Keep breathing. Push into the floor, pressing forearms away from your mat and let the head relax. .
One thing to watch for: it’s easy to let the low back arch as you move the legs into splits. Engage your abs and pull the ribs in towards your back to stay long.
For a step by step walkthrough of the basic moves involved in these poses and stepping up the wall, see my YouTube page.
Day 11: Handstand
The moment you've been waiting for - Handstand! If the thrill feels more like dread, remember that to our brains, fear is just excitement without the breath. The nervous tingles wouldn't be there if there wasn't some part of you that wasn't delighted or at least curious about trying. .
Also, remind yourself of your resources. The wall is there to catch you. Everyone in this challenge is here to support you. And most important of all, you've got your breath to calm and propel you up. So get your breath 100% bigger. The first thing many of us do when we enter the spook zone is to stop breathing. A body without breath is heavy which makes it harder to get the feet off the floor.
To warm up for handstand, do some Sun Salutations and Abs with a roll. This will give you a chance to warm up the body and practice the basic moves needed to move into handstand without strain. .
Set up in Downward Facing Dog with hands shoulder width apart and about 4" from the wall. Walk the feet in as close to your hands as you can and choose which leg to kick up with (one will feel more natural than the other). This leg is going to help swing your weight up and towards the wall so turn it on and reach through it. The other leg is going to give you your power to push off from the floor. It can help to slightly bend the knee and push into the floor for power before lifting up. If this is super spooky, play with breathing and just kicking the leg up (I find that starting my exhale before kicking is a big help in getting up).
Once you find the wall, press actively into and away from the floor with your hands. Wrap the shoulders and turn on your legs, reaching up through your inner legs and active feet toward the ceiling. Keep breathing and hold for as long as you can without struggle. Feet can rest on the wall or, as you feel more comfortable, try taking one or both off the wall to practice balancing. .
If you're not quite ready for handstand, go back to any of the poses or prep moves we've practiced so far, particularly:
- Wrapping the Shoulders
- Abs with a Roll
- Downward Facing Dog at the wall
For a step by step videos of all of these, see my YouTube page.
Day 12: Forearm Balance
With more of the arm touching the floor, I feel more stable and balanced in Forearm Balance and it's an inversion I can do even on days when my wrists feel tender, making this one of my favorite inversions.
To warm up for: Do some Sun Salutations and Abs with a Roll and practice the Unlocking the Shoulders move in Dolphin.
Though I practice Dolphin both with my hands clasped as well as with the forearms parallel, I prefer to do Forearm Balance with hands clasped. This feels more stable and makes it easier for me to squeeze the upper arms towards each other to keep my upper back spread and chest engaged.
Set up in Dolphin with your knuckles about 2" from the wall. Before kicking up, check that your shoulders are wrapped and that the head is not touching the floor. If it is, your elbows are likely too far apart and/or you need to wrap the shoulders and push more actively away from the floor.
Like handstand, walk your feet in as close to your elbows as you can and choose which leg to kick up with (one will feel more natural than the other). This leg is going to help swing your weight up and towards the wall so turn it on and reach through it.
The other leg is going to give you your power to push off from the floor. It can help to slightly bend the knee and push into the floor for power before lifting up.
If this is super spooky, play with breathing and just kicking the leg up (I find that starting my exhale before kicking is a big help in getting up). Once you find the wall, press actively into and away from the floor with your forearms, squeezing upper arms towards each other. Turn on your abs and your legs, reaching up through your inner legs and active feet toward the ceiling. Keep breathing and hold for as long as you can without struggle. Feet can rest on the wall or, as you feel more comfortable, try taking one or both off the wall to practice balancing.
Keep pushing into the floor, pressing forearms away from your mat; let the head relax.
If you're not quite ready for Forearm Balance, go back to the prep moves we've practiced so far, particularly:
- Wrapping & Unlocking the Shoulders
- Abs with a Roll
- Dolphin on the wall
For a step by step videos of all of these, see my YouTube page.
Day 13: Handstand or Forearm Balance with a partner
Here's an opportunity to practice Handstand or Forearm Balance (or both!) again. . . this time with a partner.
Having a spotter is a great way to feel for balacing straight up and down on your hands while feeling supported. If you’ve never tried this, you’ll be amazed at how great it feels. This can be done in the center of the room or with the spotter standing with their butt against a wall. In either set up, as the spotter, I like to stand with my feet staggered so that I feel stable.
The partner kicking up will set up in Downward Facing Dog or Dolphin with their hands between the spotter’s feet. This is where you need to communicate. Show your spotter what leg you are kicking up with and don’t change your mind.
Spotter - get your head out of the way of that leg and place your hands on your partner’s hips. When they kick up, use your hands on their hips to steady them. The amount of pressure will depend on your partner. If they are fairly comfortable and strong in their inversion you may barely need to hold on (as shown in the photo). If your partner is nervous or still building their strength though, you may need to use your grip to help pull them up and hold them steady. Having the wall behind you to support you and push into is a great resource.
Day 14: Handstand or Forearm Balance Splits
Day 14 is a chance to dance at (or a little further past) the edges of your comfort zone. The set up for Handstand or Forearm Balance is the same as we practiced last week. The only difference is how far away from the wall (if you’re using the wall) you’ll set up.
Rather than the hands being a couple inches away from the wall, you’ll back up. How far will depend on 2 things:
- Your comfort zone
- The length of your legs
My ideal set up for this pose is to be able to push my toes of the leg reaching towards the wall into it; however, being that far out makes for a thrilling kick up. I dance with the edges of this buzzy energy by starting out a little closer and then backing up as I feel more comfortable.
.Once you’re up, reach strongly through each leg - the pull in opposite directions will help to balance you.
Engage your abs (as you can see I did not in this video which is why I am so curved in my low back and why it was so difficult to change legs).
Day 15: Straddle Lifting Through and Handstand or Forearm Balance Straddle
Handstand or Forearm Balance Straddle
Now that your abs are warm and the legs are turned on, let's get to the inversion part of Day 15 of the #summerinversionchallenge - Handstand or Forearm Balance Straddle.
Like the splits variations of these poses, having the legs reaching in opposite directions actually provides some stability and balance assistance. .
However, this reach can make it difficult to keep the back straight, especially if the abs aren't engaged. As this is still tricky for me to do, I like to practice this pose close to the wall and on my hands. I tend to arch my back too much for comfort when doing this on my forearms.
Always a work in progress. #progressnotperfection
Straddle Lifting Through
Straddle (or Frog) Lifting Through is a powerful move for learning how to turn on the legs and engaging the low abdominals. Two moves that are essential for more wasteful inversions.
Before trying this out, do a few rounds of Elbow to Knee to warm up the back and abs.
Day 16: Star Chakra
While it may look fancy, Star Chakra is a great pose for beginning your journey away from the wall and one of my favorite Forrest Yoga inversions. The bent knees and reach of the legs in opposite directions provide stability and better balance than having the legs straight up.
To do: Set up for handstand or forearm balance as far from the wall as you feel comfortable and kick up. I prefer practicing this pose in Forearm Balance as I feel more stronger, more stable and better able to engage my chest and back muscles on my forearms than on my hands.
Bend one leg forward, trying to get the thigh parallel to the floor with a 90 degree bend in the knee, keeping the other foot on the wall.
This is where the fun begins. Begin to bend the other leg so that the shin is parallel to the floor. You can play with your comfort zone by keeping your toes on the wall, hopping them off and on or try to hold away from the wall as long as possible.
Keep pressing away from the floor while drawing your abs back towards your spine to keep the back long and lift up through your sit bones.
Day 17: Handstand or Forearm Balance Baddha Konasana
You may have noticed that the last few days, we’ve focused on leg variations of these same 2 poses. They look fancy but for many folks, these different leg positions actually make the pose more accessible.
Why?
Because they encourage us to turn on the muscles in our abs, back and legs in different ways which not only adds more power and balance to the pose, but also creates more ease in the hands, wrists and arms.
My favorite way to play with Baddha Konasana upside down is in Handstand. I like to set up close enough to the wall that I can rest my feet on it while keeping the rest of my backside off of it without arching my back.
Once you’ve guided the feet toward one another, actively press the balls and heels of your feet together and spread your toes. This activates the inner thighs.
Draw low belly toward your back and reach up through your sit bones.
With this much engagement in the legs, I often find that I can bring the feet away from the wall and hold the balance longer than I can with the legs straight up.
Day 18: Handstand Lotus Variations
Today, we're revisiting Handstand and/or Forearm Balance playing with Lotus or Half-Lotus.
While the poses of the last few days use various leg positions to add stability to the pose, Half-Lotus and Lotus (or what Ana calls Almost-Lotus for that in between stage) increase the balance challenge.
Take the time to warm up the shoulders and hips and fire up your abs before playing with this one and let it be fun . . allowing tipping over be part of the process.
Day 19: Vertical Splits or Flying Pigeon
These are peak poses - ones that we’ll spend an hour or more warming up for in a class. They require a lot off engagement in the arms, shoulders, abs and back and flexibility in the hips and hamstrings so take the time to get warm and juicy before giving these a try.
Vertical splits starts out as Downward Facing Dog facing away from the wall. Set up as close to the wall as you can with heels on the wall then reach one foot up the wall, planting the ball of the foot on the wall. Reach up through your heel for a deep stretch.
If it’s too much, move further away from the wall.
If you can go deeper, walk your hands closer to the wall. Your first step toward Flying Pigeon is to press away from the floor with your hands and arms and up into the ball of the foot of your lifted leg so much that you can lift your bottom foot off the floor (draw your abs in - the more they are engaged, the lighter that leg becomes).
For flying pigeon, bend the hovering leg into Pigeon and rest it against the wall. To deepen the stretch, walk the hands even closer in toward the wall (and get your breath going if it starts hitting the limits of your spook zone). You can come down to change sides or do it while lifted.
To come out, smoothly walk your hands out away from the wall til you have enough room to slide the leg back down.
Day 20: Eka Pada Bakasana
Eka Pada Bakasana (One Legged Crow Pose) brings together the moves of Unlocking/Wrapping the Shoulders and ab engagement needed for Crow along with the balance and reach through the legs of the other inversions we’ve been playing with this week.
There’s lots of ways to up level or modify this pose so I’m going to share 2 variations. If you’re just getting started, put a block under the foot of the leg resting on your arm. As you get stronger, play with lifting the foot off the block until you can hold it there without it.
Variation 1 uses the wall for support. By leaning my back into the wall, I take some of the weight out of my hands, wrists and arms as well and create more stability which allows me to focus on engaging my low abs to lift and extend the back leg.
Variation 2 of Eka Pada Bakasana: Moving beyond the balance, this variation (which we call Oil Rigger) adds a lowering of the back leg.
If that looks like too much, try it with your back against the wall
Day 21: Scorpion
In yoga (and in life) there are poses (things) I can do easily. There are things that take practice. Some things take lots of practice, patience and the trust that I'll get there someday. Then there are the things that seem so crazy or hard or out of reach that I don't even consider them possibilities.
Scorpion was that pose for me. I've worked with so many wrist, shoulder and back problems that, to me, Scorpion looked like nothing more than a good way to hurt myself.
During my Forrest Yoga Foundation Teacher Training, Ana never taught this pose but she kept mentioning it. After almost a month of 12 hour days of training, I was feeling stronger and more confident in myself than I ever had and decided that if ever there was a time when I could find at least some part of Scorpion that I could do, that this was it. This photo is from that day.
I keep it as a reminder that limitations live mostly in our minds. That's not to say this just magically happened. It took a lot to get to this moment. Years of learning to work with my body in healing ways. An intense month of deep self-inquiry and daily practice. And a 90 min hot sweaty yoga practice to warm my body up for this pose.
Even now, Scorpion is a pose I save for days when I have enough time to properly warm up for. Then I delight in playing with something that once was only a fairytale.
Day 22: Yogi's Choice
We made it! 22 days of exploring the world upside down. Here's a chance to revisit your favorite or an opportunity to explore a pose that scares you.
I'm choosing the 2 inversions I do most frequently - Turbo Dog and Dolphin. They may not be the sexiest pose of the bunch but they are the ones that have had the biggest impact on my practice, teaching me how to wrap my shoulders and engage my chest, back and serratus muscles to support my shoulders while keeping my neck relaxed.
Today I'm showing how I use these poses in a non-Forrest yoga class. As the only Forrest Yoga teacher in my area, I don’t get to take many Forrest classes and often end up in various Vinyasa style classes.
The biggest modification I find myself making in these classes is the speed at which I move through Vinyasa, preferring to slowly lower through Chaturanga all the way to the floor and come into cobra or low cobra rather than Up Dog before pressing back into Down Dog.
By the time I complete my cycle, I’m usually a pose behind the rest of the class. So when I’m trying to keep up (or my wrists get tired), I use Dolphin or Turbo Dog instead of moving through the Vinyasa.