#MermaidYogis Day 25 Forearm Stand

Don’t be intimidated by this inversion! We’ve got lots of options if getting all the way upside down isn’t in your practice yet. Day 25 of #MermaidYogis is forearm stand, but feel free to modify with headstand, headstand prep, dolphin pose or child’s pose depending on your body’s needs today.

Forearm Stand

If this is one of your first times exploring forearm stand, make sure that you can hang out comfortably in dolphin pose for at least thirty seconds before attempting.
You may wish to have a block and strap handy. If you’re using props, set the block between your hands and use the strap to keep your arms shoulder distance apart. The pressure of a strap can help you keep the integrity of your shoulder girdle. If you’re new to this pose, practice at the wall so you can find your balance.
Begin on all fours. Take hold of opposite elbows to measure the distance between your arms. Place your elbows down shoulder distance apart, and release your forearms. You may interlace the fingers, or place your hands palms down on the earth, fingers spread wide and gripping consciously with the fingers. Keep your gaze between the hands or on your thumbs if fingers interlaced.
Tuck your toes, straighten the legs, and start to walk your toes towards your face, working to bring hips over shoulders. When you can’t walk forward any more, pause.
Inhale and sweep one leg up towards the sky, reaching it as far up as possible. If this feels very challenging, this is a good place to stay.
Give little hops with your standing leg, working to keep the leg straight and engaged.
When you kick up, if you find flight, think about drawing your front ribs towards your hip bones to engage the core. Sometimes it helps to stag one leg (or both) as you work towards finding your balance.
Make sure to practice lift-off with both legs to train the body evenly.

Be patient with yourself and have fun! Inversions take a long time and lots of practice to master, so make sure you’re enjoying the process and listening to your body.