7 Simple Yoga Poses To Prepare You For Handstands

Inversions are not only fun and inspiring to look at, they can also be very good for your body. Handstands, headstands, shoulderstands and all other inversion variations can change your circulation, tone your body and create mental clarity. But not everyone can (or should) just kick straight up into a handstand.

If you’ve been wanting to attempt a handstand, but you haven’t known where to start, here are seven preliminary poses to get your body ready for inverting. You want to make sure you have strong shoulders, a neutral pelvis and a stable core to practice inversions. The poses in this sequence all help you achieve those three things, so that handstands are more approachable and not as daunting. Ready to invert? Let’s get started!

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Handstands are essentially standing upside down. If you can learn how to stand upright correctly, you can learn to do a handstand correctly.

HOW TO DO IT: Start with your feet together, big toes touching and heels slightly apart. Lift and spread your toes as you root the four corners of your feet into the floor and distribute the weight evenly. Lift up the kneecaps gently (without locking) as you press the thigh bones back. Tilt your tailbone down, finding a neutral pelvis as you engage your core by pulling the belly button into the spine. Lift your sternum upward without letting your lower ribs stick out. Lift and drop the shoulders down back along your spine as you broaden your collarbones by plugging the shoulder blades into the upper back. Drop your arms to the side of your body and externally rotate your shoulders until the

palms face forward. Tuck your chin back and in. Stay here for five breaths.

2. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This is a go-to pose for a reason: It stretches out the entire back of your body while strengthening your shoulders. Plus, it’s technically an inversion (though a mild one), since your head is below your heart, so it’s a great way to get used to the feeling if you’re a bit apprehensive about doing inversions.

HOW TO DO IT: Start on all fours, with your weight in your hands and knees. Tuck your toes under and lift your knees as you push back into your heels. Your legs should be hip-width apart and your heels should disappear behind your toes. Your arms should be at shoulder width, with fingers spread wide. Rotate your upper outer arms down and around, pull the belly toward the spine and press your hips back to sink the heels down and spread the sitting bones. Stay here for five breaths before slowly lowering down to all fours or Child’s Pose.

3. Plank Pose

A strong core is essential for stable handstands, and there’s no better yoga pose to strengthen your core than plank.

HOW TO DO IT: Start in upper push-up position, with your wrist directly under your shoulders. Crawl your index fingers forward so you plant down through the inner palm. Wrap the triceps back, pull the belly in, tilt the tailbone down and draw your heart forward as you press your thigh bones into the hamstrings. Stay here for one minute. If you need to modify, you can set your knees down until you are strong enough for the full pose.

4. Side Plank (Vashistasana)

Once you’ve mastered the standard plank, it’s time to challenge each side of your body individually. This pose strengthens the shoulder girdle and core muscles -- both of which are key to solid handstands.

HOW TO DO IT: Start in plank with your feet together and kick both heels off to the right and send your left arm up. Flex your feet as if you where standing, keeping the big toes touching and the heels slightly apart. Firm your thighs, lift the right hip away from the ground and tilt the tailbone toward the heels for a neutral pelvis. Think about pulling your right waist and ribs forward as you drive your right hand into the floor, turn your left hand down and reach over your head. Play with wrapping your right triceps back as you rotate your left triceps towards the floor. Stay here for five breaths, then switch sides and repeat.

5. Boat Pose (Navasana)

Another great pose to challenge your abdominals and build core strength, Boat Pose can be modified based on your fitness level. Start with knees bent and straighten them as your core strength increases.

HOW TO DO IT: From seated, bend your knees and place your feet together on the floor. Distribute your weight evenly between your sitting bones as you reach your arms forward. Draw in the belly and lift the chest, pulling the sternum forward. Plug the upper arm bones back into the shoulder girdle as you lift the feet the level of the hips. Squeeze your legs tightly together as you spin the inner thighs down. If you want more, try straightening the legs up to the sky. Stay here for five breaths.

6. Modified Handstand at the Wall (Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana)

You’ve done the groundwork (literally), now head to the wall and start to get a better feel for being upside down.

HOW TO DO IT: Start in a short downward-facing dog with you heels touching the wall. Walk your feet up the wall to the level of your hips. Wrap your triceps back as you press your sternum toward the wall. Draw the belly to the spine and work your thigh bones up into the hamstrings. Stay here for five breaths, then come down and hang out in a standing forward fold.

7. Full Handstand at the Wall (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)

Here’s the final step before a full, unassisted handstand. You’ll want to keep at it until you can comfortably lift both feet off the wall and balance on your own.

HOW TO DO IT: Start in a short downward-facing dog with your hands pointing toward the wall. Your hands should be about six to 12 inches away from the wall. Pick up your right leg and point through the ball of your right foot. Square your hips and hug the upper inner legs closer together as you spin the right inner thigh up to the sky. Stare at your fingertips and create an invisible line to stare at (this is where you look the whole time). Bend the left leg and start to hop until you’re vertical. Once you are in a handstand at the wall, wrap the triceps back, pull the belly to the spine and tilt the tailbone toward the heels. Engage the thighs, and keep the big toes touching with the heels slightly apart as you point thought the balls of the feet. Stay here for five breaths, and then come down and hang out in a standing forward bend.

Have you ever done a full handstand before? Do you want to? Which of these yoga poses are yougoing to incorporate into your routine? What yoga poses have you already done to help strengthen your shoulders and core? Share your thoughts, suggestions and stories in the comments section below!