All these years of taking yoga classes and watching videos I never knew headstand was an actual yoga pose. I could do those easily when I was younger, thank you Alexia, you are the best !!!
Oh yes, the king of yoga poses! I remember teaching this to a class of women in their 50s-60s (some did the 8 block variation) and by chance, I also had a teenage boy in the class for his very first yoga class! When it was time for headstand, all the women moved their mats to the wall and up they went. I still remember the boy's look. A mix of complete surprise and admiration!
You're an incredible teacher and you have an air of gentleness. Loved the video. I've been trying for my headstand and I'm getting closer to both feet up
Thank you so much! This is a great tutorial, take aways that helped me not be so fearful of sirsana, really push down on my arms and where on my head I should be on!
Yes exactly! Knowing where to place your head and also understanding that we should push down on our arms can really help create a solid base, without putting too much weight on your head. Good luck with your headband journey!
Ok so it seems every video on headstands the person has a relatively small chest. I am ridiculously top heavy so the gradual moves leading up to the headstand itself are actually harder for me to do. If your like me what I did is kick off my yoga mat gently at first to gauge the right momentum. Then making sure I was near a wall to stop myself from going too far. I know I could just tuck and roll but as a beginner I find this simpler rather then getting back into position again. Over time I've managed to not need the wall and have a pretty good headstand. I'm now working on going into a straddle. I just thought this might help people with a different body type.
Hi Alexia, really nice to see you doing it in such a graceful way. I am a regular yogi and have been practising yoga more than 5 years now and i have never been successful in doing headstand. I know i have enough physical strength but just lack the courage in kicking off my feet. The second my feet are off the ground, i got scared and have to come back down. I am so scared of falling even before taking off😢. My case i know is psychological and not physical. Are there anyone out there like me? Alexia, mind giving some tips for scaredy cats like me? Many many thanks.
Are you using up a wall? I personally started with a mattress against the wall, the softness of it really reassured me. Once you start kicking your legs and you're up, it's so addictive! Maybe you can ask someone to lift your legs all the way up against the wall to start with. Or with a yoga teacher to come over the fear.
I love inversions first thing in the morning! But what I consistently fall behind by means of progress is my handstand game... any pointers? Have you done a tutorial on this?
Hey Karli! I've been working on handstands for the past few months and have found some really interesting drills! I may make a video of all my favorite drills..!
Ms. Alexia, you’re doing your headstand on the frontal bone, and not on the crown where your middle finger reached. On the crown, the cervical spine is straight where now the mass/weight bearing is being stressed on those strong vertebral bodies, and not on the relatively weak articular facets when using the frontal bone. Please comment on this concern of mine.
Hi Alexia,, I am trying to practice with 3 blocks. When i am moving to position, i felt the pressure is on my head and then move to neck, and then i am afraid and stop. Where actually support the body weight and head should not hurt during the process, shouldn't it?
Good question! Try to keep all the weight on your arms so think about pressing into the floor with your arms. Allow your head to touch the floor and tell yourself you want to lift your head from the floor. This may help you push into the floor more with your arms so as to minimize the weight on your head. Alternatively think to yourself: shoulders away from the ears. I hope that helps!
That's where most people struggle, so know you are not alone! The key advice I could give is to walk your feet in as much as you can so as to bring your hips over your shoulders. Then try bringing one foot up and come on to the tip toes of the other foot. Notice how you are feeling and with time you may be able to lift both legs (bent). Alternatively, you could practice against the wall, so as to get used to feeling upside down. And then try the first method again. Hope that helps!
Ms. Alexia, you’re using the frontal bone for your headstand, not the crown. Your middle finger, however, did reach the crown. Doing it on the crown, the mass/weight bearing passes through the vertebral bodies of the cervical spine, and not through its relatively weak articular facets, which are now carrying the entire body. I think that conventional hatha yoga teaches it on the crown. What do you think?
Hello. Just wondering what it should feel like on your head? Is it a lot of pressure and weight or is it meant to feel light on your head? Also when you do it with the blocks is your head actually touching the floor or are you just hanging ? Thank you
Good questions! Ok when you are in headstand, think that approx 80% of the weight is in your arms and about 20% on your head. If you have too much weight on your head you may risk injuring your neck. So a tip is to think "ok I want to lift my head from the floor" even if it stays on the floor. That action will put more weight on your arms. Regarding the blocks, you can have your head not touching the floor, or ever so slightly touching. You definitely don't want any weight on your head when using the blocks, so yes you are just hanging. I hope that helps!
Naomi that’s a very common problem, especially when we first start learning to headstand. Try to think that you want to lift your head from the floor. Your head may not come off, but the action will make you push your arms more into the floor and that should release some weight from the head. Hope it helps!
