IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONSULT

WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE BEGINNING ANY

EXERCISE PROGRAM

YOU SHOULD BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION AND BE

ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXERCISE

YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN PARTICIPATING

IN ANY EXERCISE OR EXERCISE PROGRAM

THERE THE POSSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL INJURY

Some people may tell you that headstands are good fun and require less gymnastic skills and flexibility

compared with other moves, but keep in mind that if headstands are done improperly you might end up

hurting yourself.

Headstand may also be called Sirsasana or Sirshasana. The name comes from the Sanskrit

words Shirsha (शीर्ष, Śīrṣa) meaning

"head", and Asana (आसन, Āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat".

So today, we are going to get you through a series of photographs to show you how to do a perfect headstand for your first time, and why you would like to do / not

to do a headstand.

Headstands are one of the basic inversions that yogis do. It is very important to practice it correctly, in a way that you are going to put more weight on your forearms

rather than on your head.

It is also very important that you learn it step by step; being good at one stage before moving to the next one, because headstands require core strength as well as arm

strength.

There are multiple types of headstands, today we are going to learn how to do a traditional headstand where you’re going to interlace the fingers and make a base

with your arms.

First you have to measure out how far apart your arms are going to be. The traditional way of doing this is to

hold on to your elbows and use them as a measurement distance.

However, many research today show that this is actually not the best way. So the best way is to look at your shoulders and put down your arms to the mat, in a way that the distance between your shoulders would be

the same between your elbows.

Then, interlace your hands and place them at the back of your head. You may start asking yourself where am I

going to put my hands: on the front, or at the back??! For women, put your hands where you usually tie a

ponytail. Generally speaking, put them where the back of your head starts to curve.

Try it first when you’re on your knees and make sure that your hands completely support the back of your

head before coming down to the mat.

Place elbows down with shoulders apart, interlace the hands and place them at the back of your head where it

starts to curve. Then place your head down onto the floor.

It is very important here to get the placing of your head right; you don’t want to be at the back of your head

where your chin is touching your chest, and you don’t want to be on your forehead where your head is almost in your back. You have to make sure that you’re getting a nice long neck, because in both previous cases your

neck is crunched up in which you will have compression through the spine.

Be on your toes and come into a downward dog on your head

Here, if you feel a lot of pressure is on your head, then try to press your forearms to be lifted up and you can even lift your head off the mat where you are going to feel your arms and core strength that enables you to lift

your head up.

In headstands, your head will always rest lightly on the mat, but by lifting the head up before doing headstand for the first time, you’re gonna get the feeling of how

much your core and your arms are working to stabilize yourself.

When you are on the downward dog position, play a bit with your breathing. If you’re still feeling that you have

a lot of weight on the head, then it advisable that you stay at this stage today without moving further, and

work on lifting the head up and popping it back to the mat.

The next stage, if you start to feel comfortable with the position, then bend one knee and bring it in and tap your chest, and then bend the other knee and tap the

chest. Do this a few time and get used to the feeling of lifting your feet up off the floor.

If you want to progress further, you’re going start to walk your feet up towards your head as much as you

can

The closest your feet will be next to your face, the easiest is gonna become for you to come up into a full

headstand.

So if your feet are all the way back here, you will get enough long way to get up into a headstand.

However, if you walk your feet up further, you’re going to have your hips on the top of your shoulders, and you can lift one leg and start to use the balance to lift the toe

of your other leg up

This version of doing a headstand requires from you to be quite flexible.

If that’s not the case for you, you just have to be on your toes, walk up the as far as you can, engage your

core start to bend one knee in, and then bend the other. Then try to take both knees into the chest.

Stay at this position where you may kick your feet a little bit, and this is what can be called owning your

headstand

So when you are really stable in that position, it means that you’re using your core enough and you’re ready to come all the way up into a full headstand. However, if you’re wobbling in that position all around, it means that you’re not strong enough to come all the way up.

So to come into the full pose, interlace the hands again, measure up the distance between your arms, come into a downward dog, walk the feet up, bend both knees in, and slowly start to use your core to unravel, coming all

the way up to balance for ten to fifteen breaths

When you’ve done of that, you’re gonna come out of the pose the same way you came in and put your feet all the way down. You can be here on the Child’s pose to make all that blood coming back to you body again.

So it may take you a week, a year or several years to master a headstand, but don’t worry about it, just keep practicing, and remember when you first start doing it, always be against a wall, so the back of your head and

your back will be facing the wall

Now, if you’re not against a wall, but you fail coming out of a headstand the way came in, and you feel like your body wants to roll over, make sure not to fall on your back because you’re really going to hurt it. So

when you find yourself in that position, before coming down, stuck into a ball, tap your chin in and roll out

nice and gently so you won’t injure yourself

Why you should do a headstand?

Because of its many benefits, headstand is considered to be the king of Yoga poses, which range from

improved brain function and mood to increased upper-body strength. When done in correct alignment, many

muscles are engaged, including those of the arms, upper back and core. A headstand requires moderate shoulder strength and can be dangerous if the practitioner is not ready to support their own weight in an upside-down

orientation.

Toning up the Upper BodyWhen a headstand is done properly, the body is

supported primarily by the muscles of the shoulders and upper back. Contraction of the trapezius and deltoid muscles protect the head and neck in this posture. When shoulders are too weak, headstands can be

dangerous because they compress the vertebrae of the cervical spine, which can lead to permanent damage

and pain.

Strengthening the CoreIn order to hold a straight headstand, a practitioner must engage the abdominal muscles, including the obliques,

the rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis. Poor form with bent legs or flexed hips, for instance,

could indicate weakness of the core. A strong core can position hips directly over the chin and extend the hip

flexors such that the legs are vertical. The core is strengthened particularly if the practitioner lifts or

lowers both legs at once to come into and out of the headstand.

Improving DigestionWhen the body is upside down, the pituitary gland,

which plays a role in healthy digestion, is stimulated. The pituitary gland is a pea-shaped endocrine gland in the brain responsible for metabolism, turning food into usable energy. It also regulates hormone production and

the process of water re-absorption in the kidneys. Headstands are recommended for irritable bowel

syndrome and other digestive ailments, as they reorient the colon and intestines, encouraging bowel movement.

Stimulating Brain FunctionAn upside-down orientation sends blood to the head, improving brain function. According to the editors at

Yoga Journal, one of the benefits of a headstand is that it "calms the brain." It also stimulates the pineal gland, which is located deep in the brain and is responsible for

regulating sleep-wake cycles and plays an important role in the body's maturation process.

Nourishing the FaceMany yoga teachers like to say that a headstand is the equivalent of a facial because it stimulates blood flow

to the face. Increased circulation to the skin of the cheeks and forehead means oxygenation and sustained youth of the facial cells. Practitioners should take care not to remain in a headstand for too long; some people report a "bursting" feeling or broken blood vessels in

the face. Ten breaths, or one to three minutes is enough to reap a headstand's benefits.

Resolving DepressionAccording to a Yoga Journal article entitled "Supported Headstand," the posture "helps relieve stress and mild

depression." Because headstands stimulate the pituitary gland which is responsible for releasing Endorphins,

the body's "happy" hormones, they can be prescribed to alleviate the sadness and lethargy associated with depression. Headstands also reduce production of

Cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases blood flow to the brain, stimulating production of Melatonin, Dopamine and Serotonin, all hormones that help

regulate mood.

Injuries from a headstand

Degenerative damage to the cervical spine

Too much pressure on the small disks and facet joints of the cervical vertebrae may lead to wear and tear over time. Degenerative disk disease and facet joint arthritis

may ensue, leading to chronic neck pain.

We all do know that hips and knees are damaged by too much weight and that taking pounds of pressure of them lessens pain and helps to prevent progression. It seems like common sense then, that turning upside-down and putting the body’s weight on other joints (smaller ones not designed for such a load) will also

cause cartilage degeneration and arthritis.

A medical case reports on a man who practiced sirsasana daily for 25 years. He subsequently

developed spondylolisthesis – a slippage of one vertebral body out of place in respect to the one

beneath it, a condition that usually occurs in the lower spine where most of the weight of the body is carried.

Some types of spondylisthesis are thought to be precipitated by gravity, posture, and high stress loads

that lead to chronic disk degeneration, facet joint problems, and then eventual instability and gradual slippage. For this guy, it was devastating. His spinal

cord was severely compressed resulting in quadraparesis with increasing weakness in all four

limbs and numbness and tingling in his hands and feet.

Glaucoma progressionWhile there’s no indication that standing on your head

causes glaucoma, it has been shown to worsen this chronic condition in which the pressure of the eyeball is elevated. Gravity increases the pressure leading to disease progression with an end result of blindness.

That’s why it is advisable not to stay in the pose for a long time.

FallsBad landing can cause you bruises, but more

concerning is the potential for breaks. Fractures are possible but unlikely unless pre-existing osteoporosis

or osteopenia exists – in which case a person shouldn’t be doing the headstand anyway. Again, the trouble is

that sometimes people don’t realize they have thin bones until after they have their first break.

Restricted breathingIn sirsasana, the rib cage muscles are contracted to help balance the body. Since they need to be contracted for posture maintenance, they are unable to relax to allow the rib cage to expand for a deep breath. Expansion of

the chest wall is limited and thus the ability of the lungs to inflate is limited. Because of that, you have to

either transfer gases more efficiently, or, the more likely scenario, you will automatically, by brain stem regulation at the subconscious level, slow down the

rate and depth of breathing to keep blood gasses within a normal range. The unconscious, or involuntary,

slowing of the respiratory rate by the brainstem centers explains the calming effect often reported with

sirsasana. Since anxiety and emotion often follow breath, there’s a feeling of calmness – while at the

same time the sympathetic nervous system is activated causing arousal.

Now, if you have some flexibility issues, neck, back, shoulders or arms injuries, then you may not be able to perform a headstand. This will never make you a lesser

Yogi anyway.You can get the benefits of inversions from other poses without putting my cervical spine in danger. Let’s see in brief the Yoga postures that increase blood flow to

the brain.

Half Handstand

Begin by sitting on a mat with your back against the wall and your feet stretched out in front of you. Note

where your heels are on the mat, because this is where you will place your hands in half-headstand pose. Mark

the spot with a block if necessary. Rise up to your hands and knees and put your hands in the spot you've

marked. Take your right foot and walk it slightly up the wall. Straighten the left leg and raise your buttocks

towards the ceiling. Press the right foot firmly into the wall, and lift the left leg to join the right, also pressing

against the wall.

Creating an inverted L-shape with your body. Remain in the pose for five breaths, or for as long as you can hold the pose. Come out of the posture by taking one

leg off the wall and placing it back on the floor. Follow with the other leg. Half handstand gives all of the

benefits of the full handstand pose without requiring as much upper body strength.

Shoulder Stand

Shoulder stand helps relieve tension from the neck and shoulders, and relaxes the mind through blood flow to the upper body. Take two towels or blankets and fold them to form a soft cushion, or use a yoga mat. Lie

face-up on the towels or blankets with your shoulders and head resting on them. Place your arms near your torso and bend your knees. Press into your arms and

rock your knees and pelvis into your body. Gently put your hands under your hips and extend your legs

toward the ceiling.

Once you find your balance, lay hands back on the floor near the torso, (or keep supporting your back with

the palms of your hands). Come out of the pose by placing the hands back under the hips, bending the

knees and placing your feet back on the floor.

Plow Pose

Plow pose stimulates the thyroid and increases blood flow to the brain. Start in shoulder stand. With your

hands under your hips for support, lower both legs to the floor behind your head. Beginners should keep the knees bent by their ears. Intermediate and advanced

yogis can straighten the legs. Once your toes are on the floor, lift the top of your thighs and buttocks toward the

ceiling so your legs are not resting on your torso.

Draw your chin away from your neck so there is space and you are not crunching your head into your sternum. Hold the pose for as long as you can do so comfortably.

To exit the pose, simply roll out of the posture.

Fish Pose

Fish pose stimulates the neck, throat and brain through its inverted position. It promotes circulation. Lie on an exercise mat with your upper body flat on the floor and your knees bent with your feet on the floor. Lift your pelvis off the exercise mat and slide your arms under your buttocks with your palms flat on the floor and

your elbows slightly bent. Rest your pelvis on the back of your hands. Lift your torso so you can bend your head backward, placing the top of your head on the

floor. Arch your back to get a stretch through the neck and shoulder area. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

Advanced version Supported version using yoga bloc(s)

LIVE STRONG

LIVE HEALTHY

EAT CLEAN

Many thanks for watching

For those who speak Arabic, you can check out the Arabic version of this presentation

تريد أن تعرف أكثر عن الوقفة على اليدين ؟

All the Best

S.H