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february/march 2019yogajournal.cWHENpracticed regularly, inversions build
upper-body strength, connect you to your
core, and offer a new perspective on your
practice. The work you put in to find balance
on your hands (or head) can help you meet
the challenges you face in your day-to-day
life. Like any obstacle, mastering inversions
takes quite a bit of focus, courage, and a
willingness to try, but the results can be
incredibly rewarding.
Going upside down with confidence
requires dedication: building strength,
learning to use your core for stability, and
keepin your le s li ht and ener ised soincredible body. I was hooked. But I also
found the journey challenging at times. A
moment of clarity came when I realised
how under-utilised some of my muscles
were. We are so accustomed to relying on
the major muscles that help us navigate
our pedestrian lives (think quadriceps and
biceps) but when asked to call upon the
subtle muscles in our hands or low belly, we
don’t quite know how to engage them or
how to use them to our benefit.
Hopefully this sequence will help you wake
up the parts of your body that you willGetting comfo
with inversion
From all fours, stack your shoulders above
your wrists, hips over your knees. Spread
your fingers wide, pointing your index
fingers straight ahead. Press into your
knuckles, and lift the base of your palms.
Pause for a moment at the top of the lift
(pictured), energetically drawing your arms
inward with straight elbows. Slowly lower
your wrists back to the floor. Take 1 count
to lift and 3 counts to lower. The weight
of your shoulders should be directly over
your wrists as you lift and lower your palms,
which will add resistance and strength
training to the exercise.2 Elbow Taps
From all fours, place a block between your
elbows. Squeeze it tightly to find your
midline, broadening your upper back.
Keep your shoulder blades protracted
througout the exercise. Bend your elbows
back, softly lowering your forearms to the
ground (pictured). Lift back up without
losing the block. Repeat 10 times. Add in
an Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-
Facing Dog Pose). Once you straighten
through your arms, press your hips up
and back, squeezing your arms in toward
your midline. Then, lower your knees
before lowering your elbows. Repeat 10
times.3 Elbow to Knee Core
Lie on your back, knees bent. Draw your right
knee toward your chest. Lift slightly through
your torso, and place a block between your
right elbow and thigh. Press into the block
equally with your thigh and elbow. Interlace
your hands behind your head. Only the
bottom tips of your shoulder blades touch
the floor. Lengthen your left leg with your
heel a few centimetres from the ground
(pictured). Keep pressing into the block.
Slowly bend your left knee toward your nose,
then re-extend. Repeat 10 times. Keep your
left leg extended a few cemtimetres from the
ground, and take small pulses on the right
side. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.4 Hollow Body Core Work
You will need two blocks for this exercise.
From your back, take one block between
your palms and one between your knees.
Lengthen your arms straight over-head,
pressing firmly into the block. Lift your head
slightly off the ground so your ears are in
line with your biceps (your chin will draw
slightly down). Extend your legs off the
ground to about a 45-degree angle, squeez-
ing the block between your knees to engage
your lower abdominals. Your lower back
should be drawing down to the ground,
your belly drawing in. Keep your legs as
straight as possible. Hold this position for 20
seconds, then repeat 3–5 times.HOME PRACTICE
your practice
By Jolie ManzaA home practice for
PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER DOUGHERTY; MODEL: JOLIE MANZA; HAIR/MAKEUP: BETH WALKER; CLOTHING: MODEL’S OWN