If you had any doubts before, I just wanted to say that this was a GREAT handstand class. There is actually a lot more to it than kicking your feet up into the air and hoping they stay there. Cher started us out with some gentle stretching, and then gave a lot of great pointers and advice. We started out slow motion and very gently, working with partners and doing our handstands against the wall. Then people built up as they felt more confident, trying handstands with a spot, handstands without a spot, and either twisting or rolling if they started to go over backwards.
I tried some somersaults on the mats, and they went OK, but I was surprised at how nervous I was about going over backwards, so I did my handstands against a wall. Perhaps not very adventurous, but I still learned a lot. You can give yourself a great advantage by learning and practicing the right body position before you even kick up into a handstand. Tucking your stomach in makes it easier than arching your back. Starting with your shoulders in front of you hands also makes getting into a balanced position easier. Handstands are great exercise! Even though you can rely on locking your elbows and letting your bones support your weight, just holding the tension that you need feels good. You can see pictures of our antics on Flickr, and if we can find another time where we can reserve the room, hopefully we’ll have a round 2. In any case, I think I’m going to spend more time playing around on my own.