Headstand
Salamba SirsasanaA full inversion balanced on the forearms with the head lightly touching the floor. Substantial shoulder and trunk strength is what holds it, not the neck.
- 01Kneel and place the forearms on the mat, elbows shoulder-width, hands interlaced to form a cup.
- 02Set the crown of the head on the floor with the back of the head against the hands.
- 03Straighten the legs and walk the feet in toward the elbows until the hips stack over the shoulders.
- 04Press the forearms down hard and lift both knees toward the chest, then extend the legs upward.
- 05Hold five to twenty breaths, then lower with control. Work near a wall until the entry is reliable.
- 01Press the forearms down until you can almost lighten the head.
- 02Walk the feet in — do not kick up.
- 03Ribs in, tailbone long, legs together.
- 01Loading the head instead of the forearms, which puts bodyweight through the cervical spine.
- 02Kicking up to get inverted, which overshoots the balance point and teaches nothing repeatable.
- 03Letting the ribs flare and the back arch, which sends the legs past vertical and forces a fall.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.