Couch to Handstand | DAY 15 - Halfway handstand | The Art of Handbalancing

[@lph2kh]

You're the best! I've tried attending some in-person classes on handstands, but I always ended up just feeling humiliated. With you, I'm finally able to follow all the instructions and actually see progress. Thank you so much.

[@NatalieReckert]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am sad to hear that you had these experiences in handstand classes. Trust your strength and find the joy of moving your body. That way you can avoid being influenced by other people's competetiveness. All the best, Natalie

[@LoraineMojicaMcCall]

Oh wow! I can't believe that it's taken me this long to reach out and thank you for this series/challenge! I love how you're not just telling us what to do, but you explain the why we are targeting certain areas and how we should feel as we are doing it. I truly appreciate your muscle memory approach! I feel that I'm getting there! I'm getting stronger and it feels wonderful after a workout! I must admit that I had gotten so busy and missed a week or so of the challenge and just continued from where I left off. Now before that I had the nastiest unreachable knot behind my right shoulder blade and couldn't get my husband to reach it several times it was day 13 that took care of it!!! Thank you, thank you for making these videos and for teaching us the art of hand balancing! ❤️

[@NatalieReckert]

Hello Loraine, thank you so much for your kind words. I am very happy to hear you had such a positive experience. That is the right approach, just go at your own speed. Hope this carries you into a joyful further movement journey. Best, Natalie

[@sophian6965]

I can hardly believe that I'm 1/2 of the way done. ✅ With today being Valentine's Day I almost forgot about today's practice, but I'm so glad I didn't because I did a half hand stand. Thanks, Natalie! 💛

[@NatalieReckert]

Thank you for sharing your experience :) I hope it has been going well so far.

[@sophian6965]

@@NatalieReckert it's been going well. I stopped commenting, but I'm almost done and I actually did my first sorta handstand yesterday. I "walked" up the wall and was able to keep my feet free for two seconds before falling into a summersault. 😂

[@zeeynep_X]

It is amazing to hold my whole weight on my arms. Thank you so much, I cannot wait to come again tomorrow:)

[@billsyn4331]

Yay! Billie from Eugene Oregon again. 😊 I figured out what I was doing wrong, and stayed up in a full handstand for 10 seconds 3 times in a row. Definitely going to stay with you on Vimeo, and going to start buying you coffee. Thanks!!!

[@NatalieReckert]

Awesome! Well done. I hope the Vimeo videos will help too! And I love coffee of course :) Best wishes

[@Heal2Inspire]

Hi there Natalie, you give wonderful tips and ques to make the process feel less scary being upside down. Thank you for these videos xxx

[@NatalieReckert]

Very good to hear that, great that you are still on board on day 15 :)

[@parthakembhavi]

Hi Natalie, feels great to have got this far! Have totally enjoyed the process and thank you very much for these videos!

[@NatalieReckert]

Thank you for practicing with us and good work for having come this far! Best wishes

[@berilcelikoglu7494]

Thank you Natalie, have a good day, 🙏🌹🌻💫

[@NatalieReckert]

Day 15! Yay!

[@huggaluggabugga]

You truly are a gem, Natalie. Your expertise combined with your kind spirit makes me long for each session. Love from Sweden!

[@NatalieReckert]

Thank you and freat thant you are following this course with such enthusiasm. Keep up the good work :) Best wishes

[@gracadelima4254]

Thank you Natalie! Feels amazing! Bless you!

[@EdHohlbein]

This challenge has been GREAT, Natalie! And CHALLENGING! Felt amazing to get up onto the wall and supporting my weight. I was HORRIFIED, but did it! Thank you. Half way there. :)

[@NatalieReckert]

Well done!! It is scary to invert :) Keep up the good work and thank you for being here.

[@yoonhi9301]

This was a big change from the last two weeks. I was not sure if i was getting this perfect 90 degree as you seem to have. In my case the feet were a little higher. That was not to be so. That i will have to practice separately on my own. This lesson was great. Thank you so much Natalie. 😊

[@NatalieReckert]

Yes, you did the right thing :) If you have trouble finding the 90°angle bring the legs higher up on the wall and bend them. It does not have to look exactly like I do it.

[@yoonhi9301]

@@NatalieReckert Sure. I couldn't as well as you do. But the next day was better and putting the feet a little higher but by bending the knees to keep wrist, shoulder, and hips in one line was achieved. Thanks

[@sahai007]

It was so awesome, see you tomorrow Natalie.

[@jochunho]

This was where I found to record myself in practice really helped me to make sure where my hip position was during the halfway handstand practice. And it helps tremendously when I later on did the kick up to handstand practice.

[@NatalieReckert]

Very good! It takes time to understand and internalize the alignement when upside down :)

[@VicBattlefield]

Hi Natalie! Thanks to you, I´ve accomplished a half HS on the wall today. That´s really a great feeling! Much obliged! :-D

[@annacieplinska1463]

Thank you so, so much!!!! :):):)

[@saraschneider7224]

Hi Natalie, I got to today (day 15) and I managed to get my feet up on the wall (starting with the right leg was easier. The left one took a bit of effort...) However, I can't get the hips above the shoulders. I can do this with a straight body and both legs unbent on the wall. But pushing my hips over my shoulders feels sort of scary. So I'm not really sure whether I just can't get in this position, because my shoulders aren't flexible enough or I can't get there because I haven't got the right "safe" feeling for this yet. But I do love this course! It keeps me moving in a pandemic, and that's just great! Thank you so much!

[@NatalieReckert]

Hiya, I would suggest bending the knees and taking the feet higher up on the wall because that creates more movement range for your body and can feel safer. Try to angle your body in a slight diagonal. The hips don't habe to perfectly align. It is about feeling your body stacked one part on top of the other. Is your lower back very arches? Are your shoulders shooting over your wrists to the front? Are you looking in between your hands?

[@saraschneider7224]

@@NatalieReckert Thank you so much for your answer! I'm on day 17 now and it's slowly getting better: I get more used to the upside-down-feeling and my body is slowly figuring out what to do (apart from being exhausted... I didn't think it would require that much strength to stay upside-down!). It's getting there and I'm looking forward to day 18.

[@NatalieReckert]

@@saraschneider7224 Wonderful, that sounds great! It takes time, be patient :)

[@XxXMupfelXxX]

Was very scared of today since I wasn't able to hold the 3x20 seconds with feet on an chair last time. On the wall was much easier for me, though. Here I don't have to work against my super tight hamstrings that much. :D Thank you for your videos, I didn't think I would ever be able to do a handstand 15 days ago.

[@NatalieReckert]

Thank you so much for sharing! I hope it went well, Best wishes

[@stig92410]

My hips aren't over my shoulders yet but my feet are on the wall so I'm calling that a win for today! Extra shoulder exercises needed, as others have said. Thanks Natalie

[@NatalieReckert]

Fabulous! Do try to walk the hands a bit further out and the feet further up on the wall. Well done!

[@kjb995013]

Thank you

[@seripanther]

It's easier on the wall! Holy cow! Found a useful spot to practice, and my mum to help spot me and make sure I've got my hips lined up right.

[@NatalieReckert]

Hi Rose, that sounds great. Yes for some people it is actually easier to align the hips properly on the wall. Great that your mum helps you :)

[@asimagiri7152]

Day 15-✅... 15 days more... 😍😍

[@TheBeambrain]

I feel really uncomfortable in this position, but won't let it stop me! I did find that when I relaxed a bit it got easier! Too much tension is obviously not so good. Thanks again for this lesson. x

[@NatalieReckert]

Exactly! Well done for finding that out by yourself, it is easier with less tension. Do bend your knees generously in the wall handstand and take your legs higher if you need to. If you are afraid to fall, film yourself from the side and make sure your shoulders stay over your wrists.

[@panja300-0]

Today it's like ooh laa laa 🙈🙈 thanks 🕺🕺

[@NatalieReckert]

Patience :)

[@qihanjin2122]

Hi Natalie, so many thanks for your wonderful tutorials! I have to put my hands further away from the wall in order to put the legs up, and as a consequence of that, I suffer an arched back. At the moment, an alignment of having hips above the shoulders is impossible. Is an arched back (not like the straight back as you do the half handstand) a common problem for beginners? Perhaps my arms aren't strong yet to support my body weight above me. Thanks again for your wonderful teaching. See you (and Puck) again in the next few days :-)

[@NatalieReckert]

Hello Quihan :) So it is tricky with this handstand beast because it keeps making your body do the opposite of what you want. If your back arches, try to round your back more to engage the core. BUT if you do that there will be more weight on your hands and you will need to open your shoulders more. So there you go, there is always a tradeoff. Try to find a good middle ground, a place where you feel like your arms have good support, you can keep control of the core and where you can fit your legs up onto the wall. Step by step :)

[@dancassidy7471]

Exactly my problem

[@kristaowen5486]

Hi Natalie! I did it! I successfully put my feet up on the wall! I feel like I've accomplished something amazing! Thank you! I do have a question though, with my feet on the wall, my low back feels, not painful, exactly, but it feels like my spine is curving in an S, so my shoulders and hips are aligned, but my lower back is left behind. Your back looks all in alignment, what am I doing wrong?

[@NatalieReckert]

Well done for making it all the way until day 15. If your lower back is curving it means your shoulders are most likey not pushed up all the way. Go back to the four point position on the floor and find the cat back. Then try to prime the cat back as you put one leg on the wall. Keep the cat back, stomach in and shoulders push up! Also try to bring your hips less high to control the lower back better. Have a look if this might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJ-zpqyqp9SVg9k

[@SARA1133H]

Hi Natalie, the halfway wall handstand was awesome, but the more I tried to push my hips further up, I noticed my back curving the other way and creates a bit of a strain on my lower back. Any tips on how to keep the back neutral? Much love to this challenge I’m getting stronger everyday! 👍🏻

[@NatalieReckert]

Bring the legs up higher on the wall it will help you to get a better position, and also try to bend the legs a bit. Then oush your shoulders out and try to rouind the upper back. A slight curve in the lower back can be normal in this position, try to push the hips less high if you feel pain. Keep up the good work :)

[@ennemuk]

Elevating the hips was so much easier with both feet up against the wall 😍💪

[@NatalieReckert]

Yes that is easier for some people. Try taking your legs higher up on the wall if it is still difficult.

[@andrecooper3586]

Thanks for sharing your video

[@aksheetamahapatra9081]

Hi Natalie. Thank you so much for taking through this. One doubt! I'm getting slight strain in the back while pushing hips over the shoulders.

[@NatalieReckert]

Pull your navel in towards the sound and don't push the hips back quite as much. Focus instead on pushing the shoulders out. Add some more sit ups to your warm up. You probably have a very flexible back and are arching the lower back too much.

[@aksheetamahapatra9081]

@@NatalieReckert yes.. arching it is. Got it! Thanks.

[@sfilipczynski]

Thank you for this training. My shoulders seem to be quite frozen hence my path will be longer.

[@NatalieReckert]

Remember you can always bend your knees or take the legs higher up on the wall. Have a look at this here kzbin.info/www/bejne/maTHlqd3n6qoo9U and in my Vimeo library there are more detailed videos about shoulder mobility. vimeo.com/ondemand/handstandlibrary

[@JoeMightyWarren]

Day 15 ✅ Trying to keep my back from dipping in while doing the wall hold. I couldn’t tell what position your lower back was in.

[@NatalieReckert]

As for the lower back try to focus on pulling the front of the stomach towards the spine and the curve of the upper back plus core engagement will work together to create a stable core.

[@mariohamilway3521]

I was sliding off all the time, but I managed with some cloths under my hands... My lower back feels like it curves in a wrong way unless I straighten my legs higher on the wall, though.

[@NatalieReckert]

Please do adjust the legs on the wall in the way which feels best. Higher up is easier.

[@dudaevgree]

Helo, helo! 😁

[@charlesrath4888]

when I started yoga I didn't know I had hips... Now with the handstand practice, I'm learning that I have scapulas smile.... on to day 16 smile

[@NatalieReckert]

We have this wonderful body with so many abilities. I am glad you are discovering more of it.

[@TheDraugas]

Hi Natalie, so far so good. I enjoyed training and made some good progress however i have a feeling that i will never get those hips over shoulders. Any way to get them there?

[@NatalieReckert]

Thank you for following. My guess is you need to work on shoulder mobility. Here is an explanation about practicing handstands with limited shoulder range. Invest an extra 20 minutes a day in shoulder stretches. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJ-zpqyqp9SVg9k

[@NatalieReckert]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/maTHlqd3n6qoo9U shoulder mobility

[@dariusdraksas8904]

@@NatalieReckert Thank you.

[@robertalberts1124]

Hi Natalie, thanks for making this tutorial to handstand. I have been following you from the beginning. I have a question concerning the pike position against the wall. I have to put my feet up higher on the wall to be able to get up, i think my shoulder flexibility is lacking. Is this ok for now? Or is it not a good way to achieve this. I can hold this for 15 to 20 seconds.

[@simonmilner3578]

Me too, I found it very challenging, my shoulder is very tight it won't let my arm go behind my back when doing arm circles I'm grateful to have a few days off between videos even though I can't wait for the next one Cheers

[@NatalieReckert]

Hi Robert, Yes for now it is ok to put the feet higher up. I can see what you mean. It is a common problem. You could also try to step the hands a bit further away from the wall. Try to push your shoulders out and think of lenghtening, this will help you to open more. Also, look up to your knees with your chin on your chest to help you to open more. Shoulder and upper body mobility will be your big task when learning a handstand. It takes time. you may want to add a few more shoulder stretches before each class, as I don't put such strong focus on shoulder opening in this 30 day journey. good to have you on board!

[@robertalberts1124]

@@NatalieReckert thank you Natalie, i will try that today and do more shoulder stretching.

[@NatalieReckert]

@@simonmilner3578 Hi Simon, thanks for sharing your experience with the exercises. Don't worry if your arms cannot go behind your back in the shoulder circles, it is an exercise to expand your reach slowly and really useful because it allows you to feel and identify the limit/maximum range. It will take a lot of patience and time to open the shoulders it is one of the biggest and hardest jobs when starting to practice handstands. You could do some extra shoulder mobility and opening exercises before each class to prepare you better, I think that may help you. So feel free to put your feet higher up on the wall and when you reach the limit of your opening try to push your shoulders out and think of lenghtening rather than forcing them open. I will try to make a handstand routine in the next months specifically for people with thight shoulders. Great to have you on board :)

[@dancassidy7471]

Should I bother moving on if I'm unable to do this properly? Sorry I feel like a failure yet for sure I will get it eventually

[@NatalieReckert]

Nooo, don't feel like a failure please. This program goes out to a lot of different people and in reality everyone progresses at different speeds. If you read throught the comments you will find a lot of people who have worked on specific episodes for a while. Is endurance the biggest problem for you? If yes, do this episode for a few days until you can hold something close to the time I do here. Also try to work on mobility before this practice routine. kzbin.info/www/bejne/maTHlqd3n6qoo9U This one is super old but still good: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lV7WqqZ_Ysl6d7M

[@dancassidy7471]

This is where I am stuck even though I can do a handstand up to the wal I am unable to stack my hips properly maybe I should just stay here till I get it correct

[@NatalieReckert]

How is it when you walk your hands further out so that you are in a diagonal? Also try to walk your feet further up on the wall, the L shaped handstand can be quite challenging with limited shoulder mobility.

[@dancassidy7471]

@@NatalieReckert yes I am able to walk further out using that as a starting position then walk back closer to the wall. Fear of falling over limits as well as strength to hold up too long. I will start working on falling forward safely also

[@dancassidy7471]

Thanks Natalie I did a handstand up to wall easier by tucking my chin and pressing on my palms a definite PR 8 seconds

[@NatalieReckert]

@@dancassidy7471 Good! That sounds great! Tucking the chin in really helps for shoulder opening. 8 Seconds sound like good progress :) Thanks for your update and keep it up. Best wishes

[@dancassidy7471]

I can do a handstand up against the wall for 5 seconds but yet have trouble doing this up against the wall at that angle

[@NatalieReckert]

Walk your hands a bit further out like I explain in the handstands for tight shoulders video, that will help you.

[@019-aneesabashir8]

my lower back is bending in a banana shape . while doing a half handstand against wall

[@NatalieReckert]

Take your feet higher up on the wall and try to create a diagonal in your body, you probably have tight shoulders, that is why thsi is happening. Better explained here: Handstand holds for tight shoulders: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJ-zpqyqp9SVg9k Experiment a bit to find a position that suits you.

[@kookiali6567]

Thank you