Day 5 begins with an exercise that will test your endurance and stamina in Handstand. You’ll go into the position at the wall and stay up for quite some time while performing the following 3 variations Vrkshasana (Tree Pose) Ardha Padmasana (Half Lotus Pose) and Padmasana (Full Lotus Pose)-you can come down when tired and go back again. You’ll play with a variation on Plank the classic strength pose turning to the side working with set up for an advanced standing posture called Vashistasana (Sage Pose). This session will give you some core strength by teaching an exercise that alternates between Navasana (Boat Pose) and Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose). Note that Half Boat pose is a good pose to know because it works the abdomen and core area of the body without participation from the hip flexors. Next you work with an exercise that involves playing with the subtleties of the rolling transition that you perform to go into Ubhayu Padangusthasana (Both Big Toes Pose). You’ll work to find the strength work that can be found by skillfully rolling up and going down, you’ll also play with the challenge of minimizing the use of momentum and also doing the transition without the hands touching the legs.
You’ll also revisit the previous variations that you did in Handstand (see above) but now you’ll do them in Sirsasana Head Balance). This day ends the Ashtanga way with a strength move called Utpluthi (Sprung Up) and variation.