Defying Gravity: Handstand Coaching & Practice
Handstands are a journey of patience, failure, and persistence. Whether you are finding your first hold or flowing into advanced transitions, I am here to help you get upside down safely.
For me, yoga is about finding stillness, even in a challenging pose like a handstand. It's in these quiet moments of balance that the body and mind truly connect.
Why handstand? For me, it has been a dream, a love, and a reason to get on the mat for the last five years. It represents the passion and dedication that drives my practice.
Defying gravity in a handstand is about mastering your balance. This split-leg variation, held against the open sky, is a beautiful expression of freedom and control.
The straddle handstand is like a light in my practice; it doesn't feel complete until I do this. It’s a pose that requires both strength and flexibility, creating a beautiful shape.
The pike press is a significant milestone in any handstand journey. This video shows the controlled lift from a forward fold into a handstand, a testament to core strength and compression.
I am always working on new transitions, like this one from handstand to scorpion. It's a challenging flow that requires immense control, but the process of learning is what it's all about.
It was a dream to flow from a handstand into Padma Bakasana (Lotus Crow Pose). I finally got it today, and now the work begins to make it even smoother.
Achieving the transition from handstand to one-leg crow pose requires serious strength and focus. This was a great achievement, and I'm proud of the progress.
Not every attempt is a success. Here I am working on the transition from handstand to Astavakrasana and failing to stick it. But I will try again.
This is my work in progress: transitioning from a handstand to Eka Pada Koundinyasana. I am still mastering the finer details, but dreaming it possible is the first step.
About Defying Gravity: The Handstand Journey
Mastering the handstand is 10% raw strength and 90% micro-adjustments in your shoulders and wrists. Whether we are working remotely to fix rib flare during your pike press or doing in-person spotting in Bengaluru to help you find your balance, my goal is to make your practice consistent and, above all, safe.
The handstand is not just a party trick; it is a discipline of focus. My approach is built on breaking down complex arm balances into manageable segments. We don't just kick up and hope for the best.
The Progression
We start by conditioning your foundation—wrist mobility, cervical spine health, and shoulder protraction. If you are learning the pike press or tuck planche, we use wall-assisted drills to build the core compression needed before ever attempting a free-standing hold.
My Teaching Philosophy
I believe in the 'fail better' method. You will fall, and that is part of the process. My job is to teach you how to fall safely so that your fear of the ground does not become a barrier to your progress.
How We Train
- Remote Sessions: We use video calls to analyze your biomechanics, fix your alignment, and optimize your home space for safe practice. This is ideal if you want to understand the 'why' behind your current plateau.
- In-Person (Bengaluru): We go hands-on. This allows for physical spotting during high-risk entries and tactile adjustments to your hips and legs to help you find true vertical alignment.
Whether you are chasing your first 30-second hold or looking to connect your handstand to flows like Lotus Crow, we build it step-by-step. Let's see what is possible when you stop being afraid of the mat.
Praveen
Handstand isn't just a pose—it's my daily obsession and my greatest teacher. I believe that if you can breathe through the struggle and learn to fall, you can eventually fly. I am here to help you build that strength, one drill at a time.
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