How to do a headstand, one of our favorite yoga poses

After practicing yoga for a long time or even getting interested in yoga, what yoga poses would you like to master? Or what pose often amaze you yoga practitioners and think, "It's really impossible that I will be able to do it." For me, that pose is Headstand or Salamba Sirsasana I.

What is that headstand?

Headstand is a pose in which you are upside down, standing with the crown of your head and legs straight up. It feels like the balance of the body must be difficult to stay in that position for a long time, but it turns out I CAN! And I can do this pose within 8 months after practicing yoga regularly. Of course, because of this routine practice, I also learned to get rid of the fear of falling, because I learned the right techniques, and poses that can prepare me to master. headstand itself.

Now, not only can you do this pose, but headstand it is also my favorite pose whenever I practice yoga. This time I will describe from my experience how to prepare myself to master the pose headstand.

What are the benefits of poses headstand for health?

Before we start with poses and performing techniques headstand, I want to explain what are the benefits of headstand? Since your head is down, headstand helps circulate oxygen and blood to your head area, which is good for your brain, so it can help improve your mental state and improve focus.

Not only for the brain, but also good for the eyes and hair. If you practice well, breathe deeply in the pose headstand can help relieve stress, anxiety, and fear.

Before starting headstand …

If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid practicing this pose as it can be dangerous due to the heavy blood flow in your head. Ask your personal doctor before starting to practice headstand. And for those of you who are trying for the first time, make sure you do headstand safely under the supervision of a certified yoga teacher, and avoid injury.

Tips for practicing the poses headstand

OK, once you've made sure that you pay attention to the above, here are a few ways to get good at it headstand.

Practice dolphin pose

This pose is excellent for strengthening the arms and abdominal muscles which are needed to support your head and your whole body as your legs rise upwards and at the same time train you to get used to the inverted head position (upsidedown) so be better prepared when you start practicing headstand.

Using walls as supports

There are two ways to use a wall as a tool headstand. What yoga practitioners do most often is with their backs to the wall to help support the soles of the feet, making it easier to position when you want to bring your feet up. Make sure that your head rests on the crown and not the forehead, also that your elbows are always on the floor / mat and always open your shoulders for support.

The second way is to use the wall, which I prefer to do because it allows you to master balance when doing headstand, is by facing the wall and the position of the feet placed 90 degrees, so that the abdominal muscles are also trained to be stronger and help balance better. Make sure that your head rests on the crown and not the forehead, also that your elbows are always on the floor / mat and always open your shoulders for support.

Always make sure to breathe deeply while you are in the position headstand. Deep breathing is great for getting rid of fear of falling and nervousness, deep breaths can calm your mind and make you more focused.

Don't forget, too, make sure every time you finish doing it headstand, do a pose childpose to take a break from the position upsidedown, so you don't feel dizzy.

If you are routine enough to practice some of the tips above, and also often try them with the supervision of your yoga teacher, try doing them every now and then headstand without support, as below.

So what are you waiting for? Just try the techniques above, and share your experiences. When you do successfully headstand the first time, tags me via Instagram @diansonnerstedt. I am waiting, yes!