Phillies pitcher prepares for season by ... doing handstands?

Is that a yoga class? Nope. It's Phillies' big league strength coach Paul Fournier, pitcher David Buchanan and Minor League strength coach Jason Meredith practicing their handstand holds.

Buchanan, a 25-year-old righty from Atlanta who is making a push to become the Phillies' fifth starter this spring, began doing yoga in 2011. He thinks yoga has greatly helped his baseball, so he carries his practice into the regular season. He especially loves going upside down. "In the very first yoga class I did, they were doing handstands and other arm balances and I knew right away I wanted to learn," Buchanan says. "But all the stretching and strengthening we do in yoga has been great for my shoulder, thoracic and hip mobility and stability."

Fournier is a big proponent of the handstand hold, especially in the rehab setting, to promote shoulder and elbow stability, strength and stamina. He'll have rehabbing pitchers hold a handstand for anywhere from 20 seconds to a minute.

Buchanan, though, is healthy, and thinks handstands will help him stay that way. Fournier agrees. He encourages Buchanan and often participates himself. "If a guy wants to do a handstand hold and he isn't afraid to do it, we allow that," Fournier says. "We love that."