Adho Mukha Vrksasana training in 5 steps [with pictures]

By Susan A.

Reading time: 0 min

The Adho Mukha Vrksasana training is what we are going to get deep into in this article. The handstand is one of the hardest inversions to conquer in life. Although we can think it’s because of the necessary core or arm strength, it’s the overcome of our fears and the muscle memory that matters the most.

That means that, either you can do the handstand or not, you should start putting your feet up and your head down. With that goal, we’ll show you an Adho Mukha Vrksasana Training.

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Adho Mukha Vrksasana training in 5 steps

While many of us used to do inversions when kids and have at least some memory of those glorious times, many others have never even considered being upside down until entering a yoga class.

First, we experience resistance, but with time yoga shows that we can do much more than we knew, so a tremendous curiosity starts to arise.

If you are in the phase of curiosity, this is the perfect training to work on your Adho Mukha Svanasana. It will help you build strength and confidence.

Adho Mukha Vrksasana training: step-by-step

Step 1:

Stand on all fours, like if you were doing the cat pose. Your heels must be touching the wall and your hands right underneath your shoulders.

Step 2:

Exhale and enter Adho Mukha Svanasana by lifting your hips towards the sky. Place your heels on the wall and push your shoulders up.

Step 3:

Place your feet on the wall. Your feet need to be at the same high as your hips. Exhale and stretch your legs so your body will make an upside-down “L”. Keep the legs strong and make sure your back is straight;
What happens when we first start this training, is that on the 3^rd step, we get afraid of stretching entirely our legs since it feels we are going to fall. But yes, that’s how close you should be to the wall. Ask someone to help you the first few times if necessary, or record yourself to analyze it. Rebuild the pose as many times as necessary, and make sure your hands are right underneath your shoulders, otherwise you may hurt yourself;
It’s really important that you don’t let your shoulders fall, that means you’ll keep them up and strong, away from your ears. This will protect your shoulders and your neck;
Keep your eyes on the wall and your neck long.

Step 4:

Exhale and raise the right leg. Keep your heel towards the sky and both of your legs strong;
Keep this pose for 5 to 10 breaths, or less if it’s not possible for you to hold it that long;
Inhale and lower your foot to the wall again.

Step 5:

Exhale and raise your left foot, the heel on the sky direction and strong leg;
Hold it for the same time/number of breaths you did to the other side;
Inhale and bring the foot back to the wall.

Step 6:

Lower your feet on the wall or directly to the floor. Inhale a lower your knees to the floor;
Rest in child position.

Repeat if you would like to!

Working in Adho Mukha Vrksasana surely takes a long time, resilience and persistence. That’s the way to go, those are also the things you want to work internally with yoga, so having a great challenge is, in fact, the best opportunity and you got to take it.

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