Wall Handstand Success With Liz

Readers say they enjoy hearing how to do things, but often remain reluctant to try them. Here is a fun story of success trying a wall handstand for the first time.

Reader Liz first wrote how she fixed her lower back pain using Fitness Fixer methods. I enjoyed getting her organized intelligent e-mails showing how she paid attention to why things worked and how to apply them. I asked her if she did the wall handstand - for fun, and to strengthen in functional ways.

Liz wrote:

"I read your reassuring posts about this but it still looks scary. I'm just not used to being physical, being raised to be "Ladylike" although I'm trying all the time to push my boundaries. I liked your description of you leaping up from your desk and doing a handstand. That marvelous description has stuck in my mind. One day I shall try it, you are very inspiring."

I replied to Liz:

"Here is the simple safe way to try it:
Fast Fitness - Easy Handstand for Balance, Upper Body Strength -The Movie

"All you do is put your hands like a pushup on the floor and step your feet up on a chair or wall behind you.
"The post has a short movie."

Liz replied:

"I shall try it! First I must visualize myself doing it a few times, and watch the video a bit more too. When I watched it I tried to feel my own arms and legs doing the same movements. I find that helps when I attempt something very new. Also I like the idea of trying it on a chair first, or perhaps I'll work my way up a wall, low at first.

"And after all that I just did it. Felt very odd, never felt like that before. My head full of blood, my arms wobbly (working on the upper body strength) all my tummy and thigh muscles working very hard to keep me straight. I had a few false starts and tried it with each leg, very badly. I'm not strong enough to do it very close to the wall, when I get better at it I expect I will be able to."

I was so happy. I wrote to Liz:

"I am thrilled with you (again).

"Thank you for your faith and trying this. Quick, just snap a photo - a camera phone photo e-mailed to me is fine - anything so that I can throw this up on the Fitness Fixer success stories.

"I never knew that so many people were just not trying the handstands. They write, and sigh, that it is for other people, not them. I am writing this all precisely for them - the very people who need it most - to build the strength, body knowledge, and self confidence that modern fitness removes.

"Enjoy this. Grab bunches of photos. I'll do the work of sorting them out."

Liz replied:

"Hello Dr Jolie,
"I found a clear spot, in the hall, where my husband could get a clear shot of me doing a handstand. I was concentrating really hard, and my face was bright red from all my blood pooling in my head, so no smiling face for the photo I'm afraid! I did a downward facing dog first to get comfy with the top down bottom up feeling, then up I went and I held it for a good 25 seconds too!

"I'll work on the other photos.

"Hope you can use this, if it's the wrong size let me know and I'll resend.
"Happiness, liz."

What a great handstand. Look at that great neutral spine. Feet so high up on the wall. So much so easily and quickly. What a success.

I wrote to Liz that I was proud of her for trying things that build the strength, body knowledge, and self confidence that modern fitness with arbitrary artificial movements and little sets and reps removes.

Liz replied:

"So true, I felt very proud of myself! I'm going to do it again right now!"

Success posts from Liz:

• Which Stretch Stops Back Pain by Making Neutral Spine Possible?
• How a Reader Stopped Recurring Pain, Got Stronger, and Said Aha!

Click the label "handstand" under this post for all posts teaching how to learn various kinds of handstands.

Labels: handstand, readers inspiring story, spirit, strength

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