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Strike a Yoga Pose: Palms Up Headstand

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:00 -0800

One of the reasons I'm a huge fan of Ashtanga Yoga is the many variations of headstand involved in the practice - seven to be exact. Palms Up Headstand is the sixth in the Ashtanga headstand series. I'm not going to lie to you; this one is pretty tough. As with all things though, practice makes perfect, so keep trying until you can stay balanced. If you have a sensitive head, you may want to fold your mat in half to add some extra cushioning.

Sanskrit Name: Mukta Hasta Sirsana B
English Translation: Free Hands Headstand Posture B
Also Called: Palms Up Headstand

How do you get into it? To find out read more.

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower the top of your head to the floor so it's in front of your hands. You'll know your head is in the right position because your elbows will be directly over your wrists and you'll be able to see your hands.
Once your head and hands feel stable, straighten both legs out. Then straighten your arms in front of you. Your hands should be shoulder-width distance apart with your palms facing up. Spread your fingers as wide as you can to provide more stability.
Now step your feet onto your hands.
Shift your hips over your shoulders and actively press your hands firmly into the mat. Use your hands and your abs to lift both legs up into the air. If you can't lift your legs up, then gently kick one leg up at a time, coming into Palms Up Headstand. Keep your legs together and point your toes.
Hold this pose for five deep breaths. Then slowly lower your feet to the floor.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Headstand Bow

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:00:12 -0700

If Wheel is one of your favorite poses, here's a variation that takes the weight from your hands to your head. It's similar to Bow pose, but it's upside down.

Sanskrit Name: Sirsa Dhanurasana
English Translation: Headstand Bow Pose

To learn the prep pose to get into this keep reading

Strike a Yoga Pose: Tripod Headstand

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Yoga is full of variety. One pose can offer many variations - even something as simple as standing on your head. I have introduced you all to the four variations of headstand found in Ashtanga Yoga. The first one is Bound Headstand, followed by Double Arm Headstand. The third is Forearm Headstand, and the fourth is Pinching Shoulders Headstand. We have three more to go, and the next one up is Tripod Headstand. I happen to think this is one of the easier ones because your hands can help you stay balanced, but it can also hurt your head, so make sure you do this on a thick mat. Fold your mat in thirds if you need more cushioning.

Sanskrit Name: Mukta Hasta Sirsana A
English Translation: Free Hands Headstand Posture A
Also Called: Tripod Headstand

How do you get into it? To find out read more.

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower the top of your head to the floor so it's in front of your hands. You'll know your head is in the right position because your elbows will be directly over your wrists and you'll be able to see your hands. Your head and both palms will form the points of an equilateral triangle.
Once your head and hands feel stable, straighten both legs and walk your feet towards your face as far as you can.
Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep your hands planted firmly on the mat. Practice doing Tripod Balance, by resting your knees on your triceps. Stay here or work on lifting both legs up into the air coming into Tripod Headstand. Keep your legs together and point your toes.
Hold this pose for five deep breaths. Then slowly lower your feet to the floor.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Forearm Headstand

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Of all the balancing poses, headstands might just be my favorite. They're challenging and work the upper body as well as the abs, but I also love that there are so many variations of the pose. In Ashtanga Yoga, there are actually seven different headstands. The first one is Bound Headstand, followed by Double Arm Headstand, and here's the third, Forearm Headstand.

Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana C
English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Posture C
Also Called: Forearm Headstand

To find out how to get into this pose read more.

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor with your palms facing down, making sure your arms are parallel.
Place the top of your head right in the middle of your two wrists.
Now straighten your legs and walk them as close as you can towards your face. Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep your forearms planted firmly on the mat. Lift your right leg straight up towards the sky and stay here, or work on hopping your left leg up too, coming into Forearm Headstand. If you feel up to the challenge and your hamstrings are super flexible, you can try lifting both legs up simultaneously, using your abs.
To hold your balance, try to keep the weight equally distributed from your elbows to your fingertips. Tuck your tailbone and ribs in to keep your torso nice and straight.
Hold this for five deep breaths, then lower your feet all the way down to the ground. Come into Child's Pose to release your lower back and give your upper body a rest.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Pinching Shoulders Headstand

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

So we're finally up to the fourth headstand in Ashtanga Yoga. The first one is Bound Headstand, followed by Double Arm Headstand, and the third is Forearm Headstand.

Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana D
English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Posture D
Also Called: Pinching Shoulders Headstand

To find out how to get into this pose read more.

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor with your palms facing down, making sure your arms are parallel.
Place the top of your head right in the middle of your two wrists.
Now straighten your legs and walk them as close as you can towards your face. Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep your forearms planted firmly on the mat. Lift your right leg straight up towards the sky and stay here, or work on hopping your left leg up too, coming into Forearm Headstand. If you feel up to the challenge and your hamstrings are super flexible, you can try lifting both legs up simultaneously, using your abs.
Now press into your head and elbows and slowly lift your hands off the ground. Bring your fingertips together and gently touch them to your shoulders.
To hold your balance, try to keep the weight equally distributed from your elbows to your fingertips. Tuck your tailbone and ribs in to keep your torso nice and straight.
Hold this for five deep breaths, then lower your feet all the way down to the ground. Come into Child's Pose to release your lower back and give your upper body a rest.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Headstand A and B

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:15:00 -0800

Inversions are some of my favorite types of Yoga poses because I love how energized I feel getting blood circulating to my head. Plus overcoming the challenge of putting your head where your feet should be is quite satisfying. Talk about an ego boost. It should come as no surprise that inversions give you a new and interesting perspective on life.

Since I have shown you all Bound Headstand A, let's move onto Bound Headstand B. Both poses are part of the closing sequence in Ashtanga yoga, and they come right after Extended Fish pose.

Sanskrit Name: Sirsasana A and B
English Translation: Head Standing Posture A and B
Also Called: Bound Headstand and Half Bound Headstand

How do you get into it? To find out read more

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace your fingers, bringing your lowest pinky in front of the other pinky so both pinkies are on the floor, forming a semicircle with your hands.
Place the back of your head against your palms, and the top of your head on the mat, so your skull is vertical to the floor. Once your head and forearms feel stable, straighten both legs and walk your feet towards your face as far as you can.
Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep your elbows planted firmly on the mat. Lift your right leg straight up towards the sky and stay here, or work on lifting your left leg up too, coming into full headstand. If you feel up to the challenge, you can try lifting both legs up simultaneously.
Eventually you can work on holding this for 25 deep breaths, but start off with five at first and work your way up to the magic number of 25.
To move into Headstand B, slowly lower both legs down halfway, so that your legs are parallel with the floor, staying here. If it's too difficult to keep your legs straight, just bend your knees slightly. After five breaths, lower your feet all the way down to the ground.

Fit's Tips: Just as in Extended Fish pose, it's hard to tell if your legs are in the right position, so have a friend watch you do Headstand B to make sure your legs are parallel with the floor.

Also, if you're worried about falling over, do this pose in front of a wall. Watch this video to learn how.

Strike a Yoga Pose: One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

So many people I know are always complaining of lower back pain and tight shoulders from sitting all day. We're either standing or hunched over a desk and we hardly ever bend our backs in the opposite direction. So give this One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose a try. It's similar to the grounding backbend Inverted Staff pose, but you'll also feel this one in your hamstrings and hips.

Sanskrit Name: Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana
English Translation: One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose
Also Called: One-Legged Headstand Backbend

You can get into this pose from backbend or headstand. To find out how read more.

From Wheel pose:

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the ground (heels as close as possible to your booty). Bend your elbows and place your palms flat on the ground above your shoulders, fingertips facing your feet.
As you inhale, press into your palms and lift your head and shoulders off the ground, placing the crown (top) of your head on the mat. Now place your elbows on the ground on either side of your head in front of your face, and interlace your hands behind the back of your head.
Bring your feet together and then raise your right leg straight into the air. Actively press the sole of your left foot into the ground to help lift your right foot ever higher. Stay here for five breaths then lower your right foot to the ground and lift your left leg. Stay for another five breaths.
Then lower your left foot back to the ground and place your palms flat on the floor. Lower your hips back to the ground and hug your knees into your chest to release your lower back.

Or from Bound Headstand pose:

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace your fingers, forming a semicircle with your hands. Place the back of your head against your palms, and the top of your head on the mat, so your skull is vertical to the floor. Now straighten both legs and walk your feet towards your face as close as you can.
Shift the weight of your hips over your shoulders and keep your elbows planted firmly on the mat. Lift your right leg straight up towards the sky and then your left, coming into full headstand.
From here, keeping your elbows and head stable, begin to bend your knees, lowering your feet towards the ground behind you. You'll need to arch your back as much as possible to help you land softly. Once your feet are on the floor, step them together and raise your right leg straight into the air. Stay here for five breaths, pressing the sole of your left foot firmly into the ground to help you lift your chest and hips higher. Then lower your right leg to the floor and lift your left leg, staying for another five breaths.
Then lower your left foot back to the ground, walk your feet in towards the back of your head and kick your feet over so they're on the same side as your face. (This part is tough, so keep practicing).
Come into Child's Pose to release your lower back.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Inverted Staff Pose

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0700

If you love backbends, it's because you are probably emotional with an open heart and tender nature, and hold excitement about the future. Here's a variation to the backbend called Inverted Staff. The base of this pose is actually a headstand, so it's a very grounding.

Sanskrit Name: Viparita Dandasana
English Translation: Inverted Staff Pose
Also Called: Two-Legged Inverted Staff or Headstand Backbend

There are two ways to get into this pose. To find out what they are read more.

From Wheel pose:

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the ground (heels as close as possible to your booty). Bend your elbows and place your palms flat on the ground above your shoulders, fingertips facing your feet.
Inhale, press into your palms and lift your head and shoulders off the ground, placing the crown (top) of your head on the mat. Now place your elbows on the ground on either side of your head in front of your face, and interlace your hands behind the back of your head.
Once your head and arms feel stable, walk your feet away from you, straightening through your legs. If it's easy, press the soles of your feet firmly into the ground so you can lift your chest and hips higher.
Stay here for five breaths then walk your feet back in, place your palms flat on the floor, and lower your hips back to the ground. Hug your knees in to release your lower back.

Or from Bound Headstand pose:

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace your fingers, forming a semicircle with your hands. Place the back of your head against your palms, and the top of your head on the mat, so your skull is vertical to the floor. Now straighten both legs and walk your feet towards your face as far as you can.
Shift the weight of your hips over your shoulders and keep your elbows planted firmly on the mat. Lift your right leg straight up towards the sky and then your left, coming into full headstand.
From here, keeping your elbows and head stable, begin to bend your knees, lowering your feet towards the ground behind you. You'll need to arch your back as much as possible to help you land softly. Once your feet are on the floor, walk them out away from you, straightening your legs. Stay here for five breaths, pressing the soles of your feet firmly into the ground to help you lift your chest and hips higher.
To come out of this pose, walk your feet in towards the back of your head and then kick your feet over so they're on the same side as your face. (This part is tough, so keep practicing).
Come into Child's Pose to release your lower back.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Bound Headstand

FitSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 10:15:00 -0700

We've been doing a lot of grounding yoga poses like Warrior 1 and Pigeon that work on your leg strength and flexibility. Let's turn things around - literally - and talk about headstands. This is a fun inversion to practice, because you can work on your balance and build the strength in your upper body. I do this pose if I have a headache, stuffy nose, or if I'm feeling sad or tired. All the blood rushing to my face is so invigorating, and standing upside down gives me a whole new perspective on life.

Try this pose, but do only what you feel comfortable with. You don't even have to lift your legs off the ground - you can just work on building the strength in your upper back and arms. You can also do this pose in front of a wall or with a trusty friend who can spot you.

Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana A
English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Posture A
Also Called: Bound Headstand

Want to see how to do this pose and see my Headstand bloopers? Then read more.

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace your fingers, bringing your lowest pinky in front of the other pinky, forming a semi-circle with your hands.
Place the BACK of your head against your palms, and the top of your head on the mat, so your skull is vertical with the floor. Once your head and forearms feel stable, straighten both legs and walk you feet towards your face as far as you can.
Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep you elbows planted firmly on the mat. Lift your right leg straight up towards the sky, and stay here, or work on lifting your left leg up too, coming into full headstand.

Getting into headstand and being able to stay up is a fun challenge to practice, but it can be a little scary. Everybody has a hard time at first and everyone falls out of it. It's no big deal - you just have to keep on trying until your body gets it. Once you do find your balance, the feeling is unbelievable!

Here's a few pictures of me falling out of headstand.

No Equipment Necessary: Two-Minute Headstand

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:30:00 -0700

So you've never tried a headstand in your life or you can't balance whatsoever. That's OK. This exercise is all about working your shoulders and upper back and doesn't have much to do with balance. You can do it against a wall so you don't have to worry about falling over, and you can focus all your attention on working your muscles. You'll be feeling this one tomorrow, for sure.

Music: "Salva Me" by Libera

It's important to take this exercise one step at a time. Once you master each step, you can move on until eventually you're balancing upsidedown and holding the headstand on your own. For a detailed description of how to conquer this headstand read more.

Sit on your heels in front of a wall. If your floor isn't carpeted, place a mat down to cushion your head. Interlace your fingers and place your elbows on the ground, bringing your lowest pinky in front of the other pinky, forming a semicircle with your hands.
Place the back of your head against your palms and the top of your head on the floor, so your skull is vertical with the floor. Once your head and forearms feel stable, straighten both legs and walk you feet towards your face as far as you can. Staying here will still work your upper body.
Once you feel ready, lift one leg up, bend your knee, and place your toes on the wall. Feel free to stay here, getting used to being upsidedown, or you can lift your other leg up and place that foot on the wall. You can hold this for two minutes or straighten your legs, allowing the wall to support you. Stay here, feeling the weight of your entire body in your shoulders and back.
If you have your heart set on doing a headstand without a wall then the next step is to move one of your heels off the wall, so your ankle is right over your hip. Then work on moving your other foot off the wall. The wall is there for you if you start to lose your balance.
Wherever you are, try to hold it for two minutes straight. It'll feel really intense, your muscles may quiver and they'll definitely burn a little. Just keep breathing.
After two minutes, slowly release your feet back down to the floor. Lower your head to the ground so your arms and spine take a little rest. When you're ready, keeping your chin tucked, gently lift your torso up. Your head and neck may feel a little tight, so take your time and lift your head when you're ready. Gently turn your head from side to side and do some leisurely head rolls.

Fit's Tip: When doing this exercise, if you start to feel pain in your neck, spine, or anywhere else, release your feet back to the floor immediately.