Handstand Actions

Handstand Actions

LEAN, GRIP, PUSH

HANDSTAND ACTIONS

Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the ears, rounding through the spine, and gripping the fingers into the ground. These all support stable alignment. Matt’s consistent cueing of “Lean, Grip, Push” is the anchor in every workshop, class, or immersion where handstands are taught. In today’s video, Matt demonstrates a series of drills that highlight these exact foundations, reinforcing how essential they are to every phase of the posture. When these elements work together, they become a recipe for balance, strength, and progression.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

3 DAY HANDSTAND TRAINING

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  • Wrist Strength For Balance
  • "Bone Stacking" Techniques For Lighter Handstands
  • Shoulder Mobility, Stability, and Bio-Mechanics
  • Integrated Core For Alignment For Entrances
  • Effective Wall Drills and What To Avoid
  • Safe Spotting and How to Support Others
  • How to Balance and How to Fall Safely
  • Acrobatic Principles For Consistent Balance
  • Leg Variations

STRADDLE JUMPING JACKS

The first drill Matt demonstrates is a potent reminder that even the simplest shapes require deep awareness. Straddle jumping jacks refine the handstand actions we aim to ingrain. As we hop the feet wide and together, we maintain the cues: lean forward, grip the ground with our fingers, push through the shoulders, round the back, and keep the elbows straight. When we hop, it’s common to lose structure, fingers relax, elbows bend, and weight dumps into the wrists. But the key is continuity: every second in motion must include the lean, grip, and push.

WATCH THE VIDEO

HANDSTAND ACTIONS: LAYER THE DETAILS, EXPAND THE POSSIBILITIES

TUCK AS PREPARATION FOR STRADDLE

Matt breaks down a tuck-to-straddle progression that keeps us rooted in the core handstand actions. With the back facing a wall, one foot rests on a block while the other leg tucks. The foot on the block transitions between plantar and dorsiflexion to help locate optimal hip-over-shoulder alignment. This small movement fine-tunes our awareness of stacking. The next step is a leg switch—moving from tuck to kick-switch and landing softly with the other foot. Finally, we attempt to hold the tuck shape, continually engaging the lean, grip, and push. This preparatory drill sets a strong foundation before even approaching the full straddle.

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200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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STRADDLE PRACTICE

Building on the straddle jumping jacks and tuck work, we now lean into the full straddle. With legs wide and fingers anchored, we hop into a frog-like position, expanding our legs while keeping our center of gravity aligned with our hands. Over time, we explore transitioning from feet closer together into the wide-leg straddle in the air. For some of us, keeping the feet wide before jumping is a better entry point. The goal isn’t just to hold the shape, but to hold it with integrity — hands grounded, shoulders active, and spine engaged.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

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  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

CONNECT TO HANDSTAND

Connection comes through consistency. The handstand actions that once required so much mental effort begin to settle into the body over time. Leaning, gripping, pushing, keeping the ribs in, and actively reaching through the shoulders all combine to form the base of control. We learn to identify energy leaks like elbow bends, shoulder collapse, or relaxed fingers and reclaim our structure in the moment. This is the difference between practicing handstand and embodying it. When we layer the details, we expand the possibilities. And with every rep, we get closer to owning the posture, rather than chasing it.

Register for a valuable intensive in person training handstand training here  3 Day Handstand Training

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Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Inversion Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

  • Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
  • Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
  • Appropriate for both teachers and students
  • Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
  • Demystify yoga poses and transitions
  • Release aches and pains
  • Learn how to avoid common injuries
  • Caters to all levels with modifications and props
  • 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
  • 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
  • Lifetime access

Continue Learning

Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....

read more
Handstand Actions

Handstand Actions

Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...

read more
Handstand Mechanics

Handstand Mechanics

Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...

read more
Stable Sirsasana

Stable Sirsasana

Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...

read more
Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip RotationSURYA YANTRASANAEXPLORE HIP ROTATION Hip rotation isn’t just an anatomical concept—it’s an open invitation to become more intimate with our body’s story. In yoga, we often live in lateral (external) rotation, especially in hip-opening postures....

read more
Step Up Your Side Plank

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Step Up Your Side PlankVASISTHASANASTEP UP YOUR SIDE PLANK Side Plank might look simple, but true proficiency starts in the details. One of the keys to refining the posture is learning how opposing muscle groups create an isometric contraction—a subtle engagement that...

read more

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Handstand Mechanics

Handstand Mechanics

INVERSION

HANDSTAND MECHANICS

Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and sustained holds. Matt reminds us that understanding the role of the pelvis is key.  Inverting means flipping biomechanics upside down. Just as we relax our shoulders downward when standing, in a handstand we lift them toward the ears, activating upward rotation of the scapula. That means the bottom tips of the shoulder blades rotate upward, while the inner edges slide down. We want a solid, vertical stack, from hands to hips. This is what keeps us aligned, centered, and stable.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

2025: 10 DAY HANDSTAND COHORT

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  • Safe, systematic, and effective
  • 10-day training plan with guided daily tutorials
  • 2 livestream workshops On-demand Replays
  • Learn the most anatomically aligned and efficient handstand
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  • All-levels appropriate
  • Build YOUR handstand, honoring your body and its unique strengths and challenges
  • No experience required
  • Variations for all levels, from 0 experience to professional hand balance

HANDSTAND L-POSE ON YOUR BACK

One of the more illuminating drills is the Handstand L-Pose while lying on the back.  It reveals the pelvis’s tendency to rotate, but being on the floor eliminates this variable. We raise one leg, arms overhead, but initiate engagement by pressing the shoulder heads down before the hands touch the floor—this keeps the “hollow armpit” activated. The palms face one another and shoulders extend forward. From here, we tuck the tailbone and press the ribcage downward into a hollow-body position. To increase the challenge, the grounded leg lifts just a centimeter off of the floor. This introduces a strong core demand, and Matt progresses the shape by bending one knee into a half tuck, a helpful intermediary between the L-shape and full vertical inversion.

WATCH THE VIDEO

HANDSTAND MECHANICS: BUILD CONTROL BEFORE ELEVATION

HANDSTAND L-POSE DRILL

This next drill places the L-Shape upright in what starts in a supported Warrior III -like position.   Lifting the heel of the standing leg, we send the shoulders toward the ears, fingers grip the ground, and we begin to rock back and forth, transferring weight from foot to hand. Matt offers these cues: ribs stay back, gaze toward the belly button, and elbows stay straight. We heighten the lifted leg only after establishing push and stability. These subtleties enhance body awareness and reinforce how vital weight transfer and shoulder activation are for going upside down. Matt’s instructions are a gentle nudge to slow down, explore each sensation, and deepen our understanding of the steps before takeoff.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

FROM HANDSTAND WORK TO HANG TIME

As we apply the cues in practice, Matt suggests using a hard surface rather than a yoga mat, since it provides stronger feedback to the hands. Hand placement, grip, and shoulder push are emphasized. We start in a tuck with one knee in toward the chest and push the ground away while jumping and switching legs. This introduces dynamic balance, requiring us to stay sharp. We don’t jump without purpose, we’re driving upward through active, rigid arms and shoulders. The more we push, the more we float. With repetition, the jumps become controlled and prolonged. This “hang time” emerges not from effort alone, but from refined technique. We counteract the body’s urge to collapse and instead amplify the push through upward scapular rotation and finger engagement.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

DELAYED TUCK

In the final progression, we begin working toward a delayed tuck. Timing becomes everything. Anticipation, repetition, and self-cueing help us bend the knees at the right moment to achieve the suspended tuck. It’s a dance between strength and surrender—releasing the rush to be airborne while trusting the mechanics we’ve trained. In Matt’s demonstration, the float occurs as he leans deeply into the hands and allows the shoulders to pass beyond the wrists, giving just the right counterbalance to delay the tuck. With patience and precision, we trade impulsive jumps for fluid, sustained motion.  Handstand mechanics become a reflection of how practice teaches us to replace force with finesse.

Uncover more drills and precision in Handstand in Matt’s online 2025 – 10 Day Handstand Cohort.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

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Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Aligned Vinyasa Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

  • Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
  • Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
  • Appropriate for both teachers and students
  • Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
  • Demystify yoga poses and transitions
  • Release aches and pains
  • Learn how to avoid common injuries
  • Caters to all levels with modifications and props
  • 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
  • 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
  • Lifetime access

Continue Learning

Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....

read more
Handstand Actions

Handstand Actions

Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...

read more
Handstand Mechanics

Handstand Mechanics

Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...

read more
Stable Sirsasana

Stable Sirsasana

Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...

read more
Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip RotationSURYA YANTRASANAEXPLORE HIP ROTATION Hip rotation isn’t just an anatomical concept—it’s an open invitation to become more intimate with our body’s story. In yoga, we often live in lateral (external) rotation, especially in hip-opening postures....

read more
Step Up Your Side Plank

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Step Up Your Side PlankVASISTHASANASTEP UP YOUR SIDE PLANK Side Plank might look simple, but true proficiency starts in the details. One of the keys to refining the posture is learning how opposing muscle groups create an isometric contraction—a subtle engagement that...

read more

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
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  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Inversion Journey

Inversion Journey

adho mukha vrksasana

INVERSION JOURNEY

In the previous blog, Inversion Success: Alignment, Drills & Preparation,  I talked about how Matt provides the education and keys to building a solid foundation to execute handstands.  What we must understand is that our inversion journey continues.  Building upon the foundation and continuing to practice and refine never ends.  We are either working to maintain and/or build the musculature, strength, balance, and flexibility to fulfill what’s required of a straight handstand.  If we’re ready to put in the work and build upon what we’ve already established as a good base, then the drills and skills Matt demonstrates today will only take our inversion journey further and amplify our experience and ability.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

HANDSTAND AND ARM BALANCES

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

  • 10 Chromatic Yoga practices with founder Matt Giordano
  • Full length 75 minute classes
  • Each Yoga class includes handstand drills and 1 arm balance breakdown
  • Each class includes warm ups, sun salutations, standing postures and preparatory postures for the selected arm balance of the day
  • Improve your body awareness and advance your practice
  • Technique, biomechanics, and alignment at the forefront
  • 12 Continuing Education hours with Yoga Alliance
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  • Step-by-Step instruction for increased accessibility
  • Improve strength, balance, flexibility, and proprioception
  • Appropriate variations and modifications for all levels

DOWNWARD DOG PUSH UPS

Downward Dog Push Ups check off so many things on the list of what’s required for handstand development.  In our inversion journey, it’s going to help to build upper body strength, more specifically in the shoulders, triceps, and forearms.

Matt demonstrates 2 variations in today’s video.  In the first, we are in a more “traditional” Downward Dog position (both feet on the ground) and in the second, we are in a Three Legged Dog position which increases the weight of the movement.

The unique thing about both variations is that it’s what we do through the wrists and the hands that intensifies this drill. When returning to a lengthened position from bent elbows, we lift the heel of the hands, then the head of the metacarpals, finally coming up to the fingertips.  At the top of the movement elbows are straight and shoulders are up towards the ears.

WATCH THE VIDEO

INVERSION JOURNEY: MASTERING ELEVATED HANDSTAND DRILLS

HOLLOW BODY HOPS

Hollow Body Hops are a great building block that can be implemented as an extension from Matt’s Handstand Prep position #1.  What we improve upon here is our ability to shift our weight more into the hands and away from our feet and hips.  In fact, we pop off of the feet and start to create a longer hold of balanced weight into the hands.

Here, we place our hands more forward than we would in Handstand Prep #1.  Instead of just lifting the heels we do a slight hop off of the feet to propel ourselves more forward in order to bring the feet closer between the hands once again.

In the video Matt demonstrates how to go both forward and backwards in these hops.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

TUCK SWITCH & KICK SWITCH

Tuck Switch

Here we build upon Handstand Prep position #3.  Again, it’s more dynamic.  We are tucking one knee into the chest.  We continue to practice the shift of the weight into the hands while alternating the tuck into the chest of each leg.  Within this drill too, we can take a step back from the more active tuck switch by creating a smaller, slower switch of the feet.  Alternatively, just like the Hollow Body Hops, we can practice a longer hold.

Kick Switch

In Handstand Prep position #2, Matt teaches us how to set up an “L” shape in Handstand.  Just like the tuck switches, we are jumping off of one leg and landing with the other.  Instead of the tuck, both legs are extended in a lengthened position.

    300 hour teacher training online

    300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

    GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

    Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

    • Get 500 hour certified
    • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
    • Expand your teaching skills
    • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
    • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
    • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

    MASTERING GOING FORWARD

    Mastering going forward is not only a neurological pattern we must etch into our bodies to create the physical shift of moving the weight out of our feet and into our hands in order to get upside down, but it’s also a mindset that can test us.

    One of the best ways to refine our ability to master going forward into the hands is to utilize blocks.  In the video, Matt demonstrates the kick switches with blocks at his forearms.  Immediately we see how this positively impacts the alignment of the forearms, but also the domino effect of how it helps us to more effortlessly lift off of the feet.

    As we move along in our inversion journey we must also master the mindset to go forward due to the frustration we can experience when we “hit a wall” (pun intended).  There is always an access point and a skill we can build to move onto the next step.

    If you want to access the plethora of knowledge, drills, and techniques Matt shares in his classes, it’s not too late to register for his current 10 class online immersion: Handstand and Arm Balances.

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: 10 Day Handstand Program

    lotus pose online yoga classes

    ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

    • Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
    • Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
    • Appropriate for both teachers and students
    • Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
    • Demystify yoga poses and transitions
    • Release aches and pains
    • Learn how to avoid common injuries
    • Caters to all levels with modifications and props
    • 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
    • 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
    • Lifetime access

    Continue Learning

    Strong Hands For Handstand

    Strong Hands For Handstand

    Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....

    read more
    Handstand Actions

    Handstand Actions

    Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...

    read more
    Handstand Mechanics

    Handstand Mechanics

    Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...

    read more
    Stable Sirsasana

    Stable Sirsasana

    Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...

    read more
    Explore Hip Rotation

    Explore Hip Rotation

    Explore Hip RotationSURYA YANTRASANAEXPLORE HIP ROTATION Hip rotation isn’t just an anatomical concept—it’s an open invitation to become more intimate with our body’s story. In yoga, we often live in lateral (external) rotation, especially in hip-opening postures....

    read more
    Step Up Your Side Plank

    Step Up Your Side Plank

    Step Up Your Side PlankVASISTHASANASTEP UP YOUR SIDE PLANK Side Plank might look simple, but true proficiency starts in the details. One of the keys to refining the posture is learning how opposing muscle groups create an isometric contraction—a subtle engagement that...

    read more

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Handstand

    TUCK JUMPS

    Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They’re not the first step in the course of preparation, but they’re definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  

    By performing tuck jumps, we build strength and bring awareness to how we use our glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and shoulders, which are essential for supporting our body weight when we’re inverted. More than this, in order to find the best alignment to support ourselves while inverted, we learn the articulations of the body in places like the pelvis, rib cage, and shoulders.

    In today’s video, Matt demonstrates drills that move us towards finding confidence in our handstand development. Ultimately, we develop increased strength and balance.

    chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

    ITALY RETREAT

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    HANDSTAND PREPARATION POSITIONS

    Handstand Preparation I

    With the support of a chair, hip flexor activation is one thing this stage of preparation for tuck jumps and handstands works on. We do this by focusing on pressing both feet down into the chair. This action is also essential because it’s always part of the setup for the drills that follow.

    Handstand Preparation II

    This time, we bring one leg straight up in the air while still pressing the other leg towards the ground or into the chair. Rolling forward with the torso and pressing the top leg back helps us use strength in the glutes and hamstrings.

    Handstand Preparation III

    Here, we alternate the legs by going from a tuck position to a lengthened position.

    WATCH THE VIDEO

    TUCK JUMPS: FLOAT UP TO HANDSTAND

    STATIC PELVIC ALIGNMENT

    In this stage of preparation for tuck jumps, we pass through Handstand Preparations I & II. Setting up the pelvis is crucial for achieving the alignment necessary for successful jumps. Matt demonsrates a posterior pelvic tilt, which helps stabilize the lower back and engage the core effectively. He is careful to squeeze his knees together, creating unified strength in the lower body. This alignment not only enhances balance but also facilitates a smoother transition into the jump when we’re ready to explore. Additionally, Matt actively stretches his shoulders up to his ears, being careful to keep the arms active and straight. This engagement ensures that his arms are strong and ready to support the weight of the body during the handstand. By focusing on these key elements, he sets a solid foundation for mastering the tuck jump and progressing towards the handstand.

    200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

    200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

    GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

    • Deepen your yoga practice
    • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
    • Learn foundational class structures and templates
    • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
    • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
    • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

    JUMP & LAND

    Even when we begin to explore tuck jumps, there are still stages that help us to ease into the exploration. 

    We start in an “L-Hop” and then take both feet to a wall behind us, with the knees bent. Staying in that position while working towards stacking the ribcage, hips, and shoulders serves to create the foundation for us to explore the jump.

    At this next stage, Matt continues to use a block behind the wrists and forearms in order to maintain the proper position. He reminds us then when we implement the jump, it’s common for us to lean back when we need to be leaning forward.

    If you’ve practiced handstands with Matt before, then you’ll know that the “lean, grip, push” elements are always the basis for handstands; therefore, they also apply to tuck jumps.

    300 hour teacher training online

    300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

    GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

    Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

    • Get 500 hour certified
    • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
    • Expand your teaching skills
    • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
    • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
    • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

    PREPARE THE FLOAT

    As we go through the preparations, we learn that without the static holds and the practice of control, we would never find the “float” or “hang time” in our tuck jumps and ultimately our handstand.

    The stronger and more stable we are, the lighter we will feel. Yes, a tremendous amount of effort is required to build the necessary strength, but the reward is ease when our bodies are prepared. Preparation is the path to execution.

    Matt’s Italy Retreat in April 2025 is now open for registration, and spaces are limited. Secure your spot for the ultimate guidance and support of your practice.

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

    lotus pose online yoga classes

    ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

    • Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
    • Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
    • Appropriate for both teachers and students
    • Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
    • Demystify yoga poses and transitions
    • Release aches and pains
    • Learn how to avoid common injuries
    • Caters to all levels with modifications and props
    • 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
    • 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
    • Lifetime access

    Continue Learning

    Strong Hands For Handstand

    Strong Hands For Handstand

    Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....

    read more
    Handstand Actions

    Handstand Actions

    Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...

    read more
    Handstand Mechanics

    Handstand Mechanics

    Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...

    read more
    Stable Sirsasana

    Stable Sirsasana

    Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...

    read more
    Explore Hip Rotation

    Explore Hip Rotation

    Explore Hip RotationSURYA YANTRASANAEXPLORE HIP ROTATION Hip rotation isn’t just an anatomical concept—it’s an open invitation to become more intimate with our body’s story. In yoga, we often live in lateral (external) rotation, especially in hip-opening postures....

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    Step Up Your Side Plank

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    Wall Drills To Progress In Handstand

    Wall Drills to Progress in Handstand

    Adho Mukha Vrksasana

    WALL DRILLS TO PROGRESS IN HANDSTAND

    Wall drills for Handstand are an excellent way to master the mechanics required to go upside down with confidence. Using the wall as a support to refine alignment, rather than as a crutch to neglect technique, is vital to the development of the pose.

    In this case, using a wall as a prop may appear to be counterintuitive, but it actually helps us set up a firm foundation for the hands, shoulders, rib cage, and hips. These are the important pieces of the puzzle that will ultimately take us away from the wall and help us to stand tall (on our hands of course).  

    It’s true that we learn how to isolate the actions for each body part, but it’s the layering on of each action that locks each piece into place in order for our handstand to become a firm unit.

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    PRIORITIZE THE RIB CAGE

    Matt teaches us that the area we need to prioritize when it comes to balancing in Handstand is the rib cage. More than just stacking the hips over the shoulders, getting the rib cage vertical first is actually more important because it provides the control required.

    One of the wall drills Matt demonstrates to assist with this technique is the Pike Switch with a chair and a number of yoga blocks.

    The first step is to push through the shoulders for increased scapular mobility, which will also allow the rib cage to move more freely during the exploration. 

    Setting up the lower leg as high as possible (at approximately a 90-degree angle) will assist in alternating the legs with more ease. It’s also important to tap into the sensation of the placement of the ribs between each “switch” of the legs.

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    WALL DRILLS TO PROGRESS IN HANDSTAND: IMPLEMENT MASTERFUL INVERSION TECHNIQUES

    GO FOR THE FLOAT

    Just like we layer on each technique within the body, we also layer on more challenges in the wall drills we explore.

    Now that we’ve worked on the alignment of the rib cage to create a straight line from the wrists to the shoulders to the hips, we can progress by aiming to find some “float” time in an L-Handstand. Here we take the top foot closer to the wall, but we still work to avoid the common “banana back.” If this is brand new to your practice, you may not be able to avoid tapping the wall with your top foot in the attempt to stay balanced. However, still aim to keep the rib cage vertical, even though the top leg may be on a slight diagonal towards the wall.

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    TAKE YOUR FEET TO THE WALL

    Matt teaches this drill to help us get a vertical line from the forearms to the rib cage to the knees. The knees are significant here because they are bent, and the feet are actually on the wall. Bending the knees allows us to achieve a vertical line. At this stage, if the legs were straight, we might be more inclined to create more spinal extension.

    If we still feel challenged, it may be due to lack of strength in the glutes and core muscles. In the video, Matt lies down in a supine position and then lifts up into a variation of Bridge to help us develop the sensational awareness of glute and core activation simultaneously while taking the arms up overhead. This helps simulate how we would feel in the former wall drill.

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    HOP INTO HANDSTAND

    Here, we progress into L-Hops by placing one foot on a block that sits directly on the floor. We’re now hopping into balance, with the wall behind us for increased safety. This wall drill can be compared to Kick Switches, the difference being that we keep the same shape and repeat with the same leg for a few rounds, instead of alternating legs. This is a drill to explore once we have found some success with “the float” and of course the stacking of the rib cage. However, there is still room to go further.  

    If you’re interested in advancing your practice and/or becoming certified to teach impactful drills like these, then you’ll want to secure your spot in Matt’s upcoming Chromatic Global Training.  

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    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: The Handstand Program 

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