Not your Fifty's type of Dominance

When I mention Dominant, what comes to mind? Fifty Shades of Grey and all the kinky accoutrement? Dirty minds! I'm talking about when you invert in yoga, you usually kick off one leg all the time.

It's easy when inverting to work the side that comes most naturally to you, the side that feels stronger. Then throw a wrench into the scenario: you get injured. Or a teacher challenges you to hop on BOTH sides when practicing inverting. Hopefully it's the latter. It feels awkward and weak, but it's a good practice to get in the habit of when you're inverting. That way you won't be lopsided! Same reason we don't just practice splits on the side of your more open hamstring.

                     Dominant side

                Non-dominant side

My first real taste of this other than some hops in class was in Costa Rica last year when I injured my foot. I bruised/jammed the big toe mound of my left foot, the side I kick off of when handstanding. Tragedy! I was just getting the hang of handstanding! Although I couldn't run or surf, or even walk really, I could still practice (somewhat) and enjoy the beach. I took the opportunity to practice my handstand when kicking off my right foot, my non-dominant side. Game changer! Luckily, I healed within a week for the most part, but it did firmly plant the seed.

The handstand I fell out of wrong and injured my foot

Non-dominant leg kick-up a few days later

       Nearly 100% a few weeks later 

Now that I'm back at the beach, I'm naturally handstanding constantly. And swimming, running, paddling, surfing... So my legs are tired; my body is tired. Especially my left leg from all the kicking into handstand. Today, when I felt how sore and tired I was, I took the opportunity to not only get a massage from my favorite massage therapist in the world (I'm in a coma, y'all!), but to work more on tuck jumps and kicking off my right foot again.

Maybe this time I won't wait for injury or feeling sore (insert 50 Shades joke here ;) ) to practice more on my right foot!