Last week I did something I never thought I’d do. I went to a two hour beginner yoga workshop focusing on crow, handstand and headstand. Like most “101” courses, it made me realize how much more I have to learn, but it also showed me how fun learning to stand on my head can be.
The workshop was offered at studio I’ve never been to–YogaWorks, which appears to be a national chain. I found out about it through the same friend who got me to try SplashCycle. It’s great to have friends game to try new things.
Learning To Stand On My Head
There were 20+ people at the workshop. Although the studio was large, we set up mat-to-mat along the walls, which we were going to use for support for handstand and headstand. We spent a lot of time on the warm-up flow sequence, warming up the muscles we would be using, and practicing shapes we would be putting together for the challenging poses–like holding our arms straight up with wrists flexed in mountain pose to mimic the shape our arms would take in a handstand, and doing dolphin push-up to practice movements we might take to get into headstand. I have learned from my CPY2 classes that the flow sequence leading up to a peak pose can make a big difference.
The first peak pose we did was crow. Crow is a pose I can do, but with lots of room for improvement. I focused on straightening my arms and holding the pose.
After a break and more warm-up sequences, we moved onto handstands. For this beginning workshop, the aim was to form an upside down L with our feet against the wall perpendicular to our hips, raise one leg up to be caught/held by a spotter, and then raise the other leg up to be caught/held by a spotter. I struggled with the first step, and learned that I really need to get used to having my weight vertically over straight arms–and build the strength to do it.
After a break with more gentle poses, we finished with assisted tripod headstands. I actually can stand on my head and do a not-quite-vertical tripod headstand without support, but it was good to practice better form with support using blocks and the wall. The teacher suggested using three blocks to support your shoulders and minimize the weight supported by your head, but when I tried using three blocks my head didn’t even reach the floor. Even upside down I’m short!
All in all, I enjoyed the workshop and will be on the lookout for others.
Weekly Wrap
After learning to stand on my head, my next favorite workout this week was my CPY2 yoga class, where I made huge progress towards being able to do supported chin stand. Who am I?!
Monday: Strength Workout with physical therapy exercises
Tuesday : CPY2 at CorePower Yoga
Our peak pose was transitioning from chin stand to hurdler’s pose, which I sort of could do. I was so excited to be able to get my legs up in the air for a supported chin stand (with shoulders on blocks), I spent most of our play time practicing that.
Ann encouraged us with this quote from Arthur Ashe
During one of our down dog poses I noticed the black bruise on the bottom of the toe I dropped the kettlebell on. I guess that’s where the damage has been hiding.
Wednesday: Strength Workout + Physical Therapy
Thursday: 4.0 Scooby Miles
To avoid a persistently muddy section of sidewalk on my usual 4-ish mile neighborhood loop, I ad libbed a new route that ended up being exactly 4 miles.
Friday: Orange Theory Fitness
This class was led my a new-to-me coach (Nick) who is mellower than Brandon, but still pretty good.
The rowing block included 1000 M row and way too many jumping jacks (100, then 50, then 25, then 10). I skimped on the first set because jumping jacks tend to make my calves angry and lead to PF. On the treadmill, we did intervals of increasing length at increasing incline, including 2 minutes at 4% incline.
Saturday: 5.25 Scooby Miles + Strength Workout
My toe was still sore, and while no run probably would have been wiser, I compromised with a shorter run followed by a strength workout that included most of my physical therapy exercises.
I ad libbed another new route by checking out all the side streets I never venture down.
Sunday: Cyclebar
I don’t like to miss church for a workout, but when the weather forecast was icky and I saw that Francina was doing a Hamilton themed ride to celebrate President’s Day, I couldn’t resist signing up for her 8:00 am endurance ride.
I still haven’t seen the show but I’ve memorized the soundtrack!
She selected 60 minutes of songs in sequence from the soundtrack, and encouraged us to sing along. It was everything I’d hope for–and more since we didn’t take the usual 5 min break for upper body exercises. 😉
And that’s a wrap!
I’m joining Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap
–you should too!
Have you ever taken a fitness workshop?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
Isn’t it fun going upside down? I used to be afraid to try, then I got brave, and now I can’t stop. I still struggle with crow pose because I’m afraid of falling on my face. Nice work!
I like the idea of using the yoga blocks to learn how to headstand. I really want to learn but I am afraid of falling. Let me know if you see that workshop offered again
Falling wasn’t possible the way we did it with blocks and the wall. 😉
YOU win the award for variety in all of your workouts! I used to be able to do tripod and headstands when I was young….my problem now is finding a place with enough wall space (and ceiling height) that also has a soft landing LOL
Ceiling height is not a problem for me!
That class sounds like a fun challenge! Isn’t it funny how, as kids, we made nothing of doing headstands etc and now we hesitate? I do anyway! Haha! A Hamilton themed ride sounds awesome!
The Hamilton class was so awesome. The soundtrack is amazing.
That class sounds great. I’ve done headstands where i’ve kicked up, but i’ve kind of dropped the practice. Busy with other stuff, I guess. And I can’t do crow. And since we’re the same height i’m guessing my head wouldn’t reach the floor either.
I’m not into cycle classes but the Hamilton one sounds fun. Hope the toe feels better soon!
The CorePowerYoga instructors encourage you to kick up into hand stands — different approaches may work better for different people. I’m a long way either way. 😉
Interesting. I know a lot of instructors don’t like kicking up. I can do that! Or I could, anyway.
What a great week of workouts for you, especially the workshop!
That Hamilton cycle class sounds awesome! I love when classes have themed workouts, especially when the music is great.
Francina has great theme rides. Even the Justin Timberlake ones!
Impressed that you can do a head stand. Never tried. I don’t belong to a gym but cycling to Hamilton sounds like so much fun.
Hamilton is a great soundtrack for running too – I used it when I did the NYC Half 2 years ago. 😉
that sounds like a class I’d love to do but would likely fail miserably! Ah I’m proud of my failure abilities! at least I keep trying!
sounds like you had a pretty good week – I confess I know exactly nothing about Hamilton!
Well, that’s proof you live across the pond! Hamilton is the musical that stormed the U.S. a few years ago and is still extremely popular! We all now know more about Alexander Hamilton than we ever did in school.
I’ve never done a workshop. I have taken classes before and loved them. Headstands are hard. I feel like I can get up pretty ok but when I stay up the blood starts to rush to my head and I get a headache haha.
Inversions aren’t for everyone. I have a harder time with coming down from wheel than from headstand.
That workshop sounds pretty great…I have still never got into handstand and would love to. A workshop might be just the thing to get me there!
Awesome week of workouts!
I’m a long way from handstand but it’s fun to play.
Ah how cool! I did my first headstand self-taught, I think a class would have been a lot smarter to do! Ha! I haven’t braved the hand stand yet, I’m sure I could! Just the fear of going for it.
I have no doubt you could do a handstand! Can you do a cartwheel? I have tried in years ….
Okay, I need to look up what a “chin stand” is! A headstand is hard enough! I’ve never attended a fitness workshop but this one sounds so cool. Even the crow pose involves so much strength and balance – way to keep pushing yourself and growing in your strength!
Chin stand is crazy, and I definitely need the blocks to do it.
I did follow a YouTube video a few years ago to learn how to do a headstand. I was pretty darn impressed with myself for doing it! That Cyclebar class looks pretty intense. I’ve never taken a spin class!
I looked at YouTube for hand stand after class, and the videos were not helpful — they made it look too easy!
I love that you had such variety in your workouts! That workshop sounds very challenging. I’ve never tried spinning, but that Hamilton-themed class definitely sounds like so much fun!
I think you would love Cyclebar!
That’s so awesome! I can do crow, but I am terrified of being upside down under my own steam (like i can do upside down roller coasters, but inverting myself is a big no go). I am sure it has to do with bizarre control issues, but still. I should keep an eye out for a clinic like this. I wonder if it could help me.
That sounds like a really fun yoga class! I’ve never really been able to get into crow but it sounds like a class like this that was focusing on it would help. Or course, part of my problem is I’m afraid of falling so I have to get over that too.
OK I’m glad I’m not the only one who hasn’t seen Hamilton, haha! I’ve always wanted to try one of those beginner handstand classes. I’ve tried once or twice here at home, hahaha, waaaaay harder than it looks on Instagram 😉
Wow, you are amazing. My PT was talking about yoga this morning and how Crow is his favorite. I said I was perma pigeon.
That Hamilton ride sounds amazing. You should see it if you get the chance – amazing production. If you need something silly, Weird Al’s Hamilton Polka is amazing in the way his stuff always is.
Oh and there’s a YogaWorks not far from me 0 might have to give it a try