#MovementForModernLife + #MoveMoreLiveMore
HAVE FUN AND GET STRONG WITH OUR HANDSTAND CHALLENGE
Access our daily specifically targeted classes which will help you to build your handstand skills, as well as our daily recommended vinyasa yoga class. We also recommend additional classes to build your skills, strength and balance which are available to subscribers of MFML.
WHY HANDSTAND?
Sure, posting a picture of yourself in a handstand will get you likes on Instagram, but there’s far more to this pose behind the photo.
Building a handstand practice has amazing benefits for our posture, strength and flexibility. Going upside down lets blood flow to the head and upper body, giving us renewed energy and a sense of calm. It can also increase core strength, bone strength and balance. And it’s so much fun.
THIS COURSE IS PERFECT FOR YOU IF YOU
- Have a strong and established yoga practice
- Are fit, mobile and strong
- Want to have fun and play with inversions
- Would like to build strength and balance
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS COURSE
- 30 days of classes to build your handstand practice with Sylvia Garcia
- A daily vinyasa class with progressive add ons
- Daily emails to maintain motivation and keep you on track
- Safely take your inversions to the next level
- Alignment and strength building tips
- Friendly and supportive community
- To be able to do a handstand, or be well on your way there
- Optional additional materials to support your journey
HOW DOES THE COURSE WORK?
We recommend that you do Sylvia's 25 minute vinyasa class. daily whilst doing the course. This vinyasa flow class will help you with strength, alignment and balance.
YOU CAN FIND THE FULL DAILY VINYASA CLASS HERE.
Each day you’ll receive an email with a targeted tutorial class to practise specific handstand drills and skills. This is a tough challenge. Don’t push yourself. Listen to your body and don’t do anything that’s uncomfortable. If Day 1 is enough for you, that’s great, just stick with Day 1 and don’t go any further. There are 1,500+ other classes on MFML for you to explore. A handstand may not be for you and that’s OK.
You may wish to give our 15 Day Core Challenge or try some classes with Sylvia or Vidya, to help build shoulder, arm and core strength before you start.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
If you’re not a member of our friendly movers’ group on Facebook, why not join us now, to find support from fellow members and ask questions. We’d love to know how you get on!
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Your Classes
1
Initial Handstand Positioning
04:43 | Sylvia Garcia
This class teaches us how to build our handstand, slowly, carefully, from the ground up with spine stretches and attention paid to the base. When we have a solid base, we can build upwards, so pay attention to this foundation-building for handstand success.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 04:43 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
2
Plank for Strength
02:02 | Sylvia Garcia
Today you will build gradual strength through correct plank alignment and holding, with variations. From a plank this class develops the strength and flexibility you'll need for your handstands.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:02 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
3
The Handstand Line
02:52 | Sylvia Garcia
Find the perfect shape and line for your handstand by using the floor as a guide.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:52 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
4
Length, Strength and Core
03:27 | Sylvia Garcia
This class is great for strengthening the core as well as lengthening the hamstrings with a pulse paschomitonasana. If you can summon a friend to help out, Sylvia suggests some easy adjustments that can enhance this practice.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 03:27 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
5
Flex and Strength
02:53 | Sylvia Garcia
Side plank is really useful for building progressive strength. This is a short moving side plank workout, for building core and shoulder strength.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:53 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
6
Setting the Hands
02:52 | Sylvia Garcia
Moving on from your firm foundations, today you will start to put weight into the hands, feel the rooting motion and get ready to work on lifting up. With a strong connection to the floor, you'll be able to fly! This short video gives your hands and shoulders the grounding you'll need.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:52 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
7
Start to Fly
01:35 | Sylvia Garcia
Building on yesterday's class - the pike press becomes a straddle, developing strength and flexibility in your core and arms, so you can start to fly.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:35 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
8
Reach and Rock
01:49 | Sylvia Garcia
Starting from Mountain Pose, this is a lovely stretch for the hamstrings and then arm strengthening as you start to rock onto your hands.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:49 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
9
Airtime and Shoulder / Chest Releases
03:12 | Sylvia Garcia
Reaching and strengthening through plank, you'll start to feel the air in your toes as you gain air time! Sylvia then shows us an awesome chest and heart stretch, you'll be needing the release as you gain strength.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 03:12 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
10
Shoulder Taps for Shoulder Strength
02:39 | Sylvia Garcia
Shoulder taps are a really effective way of gaining the strength you'll need in order to safely take to the air. You must remember to stretch it out, as your shoulders will be feeling it!
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:39 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
11
Shoulder Releases
02:22 | Sylvia Garcia
A tutorial with a yoga strap or a belt to release the shoulders. It's really important to work on mobility of the shoulder girdle during handstand practice, so you may want to return to this tutorial on a daily basis as your handstand practice progresses.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:22 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
12
Protecting and Strengthening Wrists
01:35 | Sylvia Garcia
This class shows you how to protect and strengthen the wrists, really important as your wrists take your weight in handstand.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:35 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
13
Chaturanga for Strength
03:30 | Sylvia Garcia
This class uses chaturanga for showing the correct alignment you will need in handstand, as well as developing strength in the upper body and shoulders.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 03:30 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
14
Three Legged Dog Flow
03:34 | Sylvia Garcia
A short flow sequence to build up your flexibility, mobility and stamina, the next step in your handstand progress!
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 03:34 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
15
Hopping into Strength
02:33 | Sylvia Garcia
You're halfway through and ready for the legs and body to come away from the floor. These bunny hops build stamina and strength and you'll see if you can find your first point of balance in the hop. You're just a hop away from success! Sylvia also shows you how to hop into a partner, a fun way to find the right balance if you have a bunny hopping partner handy.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:33 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
16
Straightening Your legs
02:19 | Sylvia Garcia
Building on your bunny hops, you're now extending the legs through the bunny hops. This feels like a big move, but keep your cool as you see if you can find the pike balance. Sylvia also shows us how to make the most of a partner when you find the balance point here.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:19 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
17
Playing with Kick Switches
01:30 | Sylvia Garcia
This class will make sure that you don't have a wonky handstand practice as you remember to swap legs and not only favour one leg or the other, as is common for handstand.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:30 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
18
Walking the Wall
01:35 | Sylvia Garcia
This class uses the wall to help. You start with your legs up the wall, then you're walking the hands towards the wall. You will build confidence, strength and stamina.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:35 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
19
Shoulder Shrugs
00:56 | Sylvia Garcia
Shoulder shrugs create extension through the shoulders which you'll be needing. Using a handstand partner, you'll be pushing into your handstand to give you the extension you're needing.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 00:56 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
20
Straddle Press Jumping Jacks
01:39 | Sylvia Garcia
Today's class is a bit more of a workout as you start putting weight in the hands with jumping jacks on the floor. Great for building up a sweat, as well as great for your hamstrings. Straddle press jumping jacks are a fun exercise to learn how to come up to handstand without the momentum of a kick to get you up to the sky. This exercise gives you the core strength and control you'll be calling on.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:39 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
21
Straddle Stretch
02:53 | Sylvia Garcia
A short tutorial to stretch your hamstrings in wide-legged forward and side bends. Really useful if you are working on straddle stretches and to lengthen the side body during your handstands.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:53 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
22
Sixty Second Hold
01:39 | Sylvia Garcia
With a long held handstand against the wall you are building strength. Remember to extend to build up your balance and strength.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:39 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
23
Kick to Handstand
01:16 | Sylvia Garcia
Today is the day that you are ready to kick up into the handstand. You can use a wall or spot, but this is the day to freestand if you can.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:16 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
24
Hollow Back
01:05 | Sylvia Garcia
You will need a wall as this is a tutorial on the hollowback - a really deep backbend with stretching and extending the shoulders. Maybe a little challenging for some, but great for opening the chest.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:05 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
25
Tuck Handstand with Support
01:12 | Sylvia Garcia
Today you'll need to take a partner to 'spot' you so that you can tuck up towards your handstand. If it's a sunny day, take off to the park and have fun getting upside down in the great outdoors!
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:12 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
26
Tuck Handstand without Support
00:53 | Sylvia Garcia
You're ready to get upside down into a tuck today. This one needs balance, poise and strength, as well as a sense of humour!
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 00:53 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
27
Pike Press - with and without support
02:00 | Sylvia Garcia
The pike press is the hardest way to get up into a handstand. Today we show you how to do the pike press first of all with a partner for support, and then on your own.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:00 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
28
Handstand - Exploring Star
01:00 | Sylvia Garcia
Exploring variations on the handstand theme, today you should grab a partner to help you adventure into this handstand. Today’s challenge: Star Variation!
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:00 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
29
Handstand Straddle Variation
02:14 | Sylvia Garcia
Get your legs moving into the straddle variation from handstand. Try it alone or for best results, Sylvia shows how to safely assist during straddle press.
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 02:14 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
Additional Material
30
Straddle Press Handstand
01:16 | Sylvia Garcia
For your final class, Sylvia repeats her demonstration of the unsupported straddle press handstand, a really tricky one, but you'll love it when you have mastered it!
| MoveTime | Teacher | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 01:16 | Sylvia Garcia | All Levels |
