Part of what we enjoy about our exercise challenges, is that they snap you out of your regular routine and get you thinking about developing your dexterity, agility, balance and flexibility. It?s great to be fit, but when you add co-ordination to it, it?s a game changer. Suddenly you move with poise, confidence and a natural flow. Opening up your body so that your movements and energy are more fluid is something that we are going to be working on in our new challenges.
Today we are starting with the headstand. What better way to get you out of your old patterns then to turn your world upside down? 
Don?t get scared, there is a posture for absolute beginners if you have never tried this before.
Before we get going we wanted to go over some of the benefits of this posture.
1. The headstand builds strength in the neck, wrists, shoulders and activates the muscles in the core. It also has spine strengthening benefits.
2. It allows de-oxygenated blood to flow more easily from the far reaches of your body back to the heart.
3. It allows our blood to move more readily into the upper lungs making for more efficient oxygen-blood exchange.
4. It is amazing for improving body balance.
5.You may experience heightened clarity and a greater sense of emotional calm. Some Yogis believe that practicing the headstand helps to keep us emotionally stable, balanced and centred.
This last point is perhaps the most interesting, because it picks up on the theme we discussed in our last post ? that training can help you find peace and balance in all areas of your life. This is never just about the physical
As with everything, this and every other skill requires determined practice. The first time that I saw someone doing a headstand I was blown away and thought that this would never be possible for me (fear based thinking is so often our default isn?t it?). It is important to realize that we are capable of so much more when we face our fears of the unknown and realize that for the most part they are just empty thoughts. Yes this is not easy, and yes it requires ongoing practice, but the truth is that very little in life is ever truly impossible Enjoy your challenge!
Best,
Zuzana & Freddy
Starting position.
Bring your hips up and extend your legs. This is the posture for beginners. Practice this until you develop
enough strength in your arms and balance to move on to the next step.
Take your feet off of the ground, bend your knees and keep your back straight. This is the intermediate posture.
You can start by practicing this posture with your back against the wall.
Extend your legs up keeping your toes pointed. Every muscle in your body will be working to keep this posture.
This is the advanced and final step.
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