Day 1: I decided to find out where I was so I held the longest handstand I could against the wall and it came to 2 min 01 sec... that's with my boyfriend rooting me on the last 30 seconds. I attempted 10 more times that night timed each ranging from 30 sec - 1 min 27 sec. The first one it was all mental, the second and on I noticed where my weaknesses were in my strength holding proper alignment. Think about it... a handstand is all your bones stacked perfectly so all you have to do is breathe and hold the stacking....
Well it is easier typed and said then done. I remembered back when a yoga instructor told me to use my hands in downdog. What kind of alignment in your hands and foundation was and how you are supposed to claw your fingers but keep your knuckles on the ground. I would attempt this the first time and it felt like I was "stupid" in the hands. I would send signals for my hands to do this and they wouldn't have the intelligence to do what I want them to... nor the strength....
I also noticed my shoulders would ache from attempting this more than once and my body would just try to let its heaviness weigh down on my arms which didn't make anything easier. I got through the first day of this experiment by the will to finish what I said I would do. That usually works for me, PRIDE in my word is one of my greatest motivators. I am a lover of truth and since I won't lie I have to own up to my word. I think this is one of the best qualities my parents instilled in me. Their rule was that if I told the truth I would not get punished but if I told a lie I would get double the punishment. Now that I think about it there was never a "control" for punishment and I never lied so I don't even know what punishment would be. I would have to ask my sister since she lied and maybe she called their bluff...
To be quiet honest the whole reason I have this goal in the first place is because I heard from one of my teachers that John Friend set the standards for the Japanese double our standards were at our advanced intensive. Mind you nothing against the Japanese, in fact I have adored their culture my entire life. My parents would eat sushi all the time and my Dad having Japanese clients would teach me the basic manners and culture he gained from them. I even took a Japanese culture class in college which was difficult but rewarding. It was like seeing a posture in a picture and finding it so captivating you just had to at least try your hardest...
I would never admit to being competitive though its true I am because once you admit your competitive everyone has different expectations on you and that is usually when I crumble. My power is invisibility, I find that creating, innovating and harnessing something and sharing it when it is time if it is ever time is the best way. It gives things a charge which is a good thing and a bad thing. If you hold things in too long and they never are brought out and are meant to it could turn into a spiteful thing and be in genuine if ever spilt at the wrong moment. On the other hand it, and this is ideal, you would be recognized for your efforts with out saying anything and then its perfect timing... by definition. It is best to just keep cultivating yourself and not share unless asked I think, that way you always have surprises and who doesn't like surprises?...
After the 8th attempt my wrists are aching and being a yoga instructor I know it's because I am collapsing in my hands. It's a juggling act just like life! You want to hold, achieve, not give up, and fight for it... though you know in order to sustain it you have to distribute the effort over the whole body. Like life you have to balance it all. I feel handstand can sum up a yoga practice in a matter of minutes. There is no faking it! If your hands aren't as strong as your feet you will fall. If your core is weak it will be painful and obvious because your wrists will take it all in. If your breath isn't stead you will pass out and see stars when you do come out of it. If your mind isn't strong with intention, meaning, purpose and focus you will give up early and not "max out." Do you ever come out of something or back off of something and then right after you were like... "that wasn't so bad" I don't know why I didn't just stick with it? Why did I have to be such a baby?...
There is nothing better than surprising yourself! Especially after many attempts you are not even close then one 3 minute moment in your life when it all came together. I think that is why I created this blog in the first place because I love to make these weird random goals for myself and put it all out on the line. Some people like to gamble... to me life is a gamble, every single moment and if you put it all on the line every single time then at least you have no regrets. Regrets are a poison that isn't easily cured... unless you toe the line again and again until the impossible has been sculpted into the possible.
