Those of you who are into yoga or pilates are familiar with the headstand, which is a movement where you are in an inverted position, head down and legs straight up. This position is not an easy pose to do for beginners. But what are the benefits of headstand and how can you safely do it?

What is a Headstand?

The headstand position in yoga is known as sirsasana. In this position you will place your head below your heart or on the floor and use your hands to help support your body, while your legs are straight up. The headstand position is not an easy position and requires constant practice so that you can achieve the position.

When doing a headstand, you need enough upper body and core strength so that you can hold your body weight while your head is down. If successfully performed, this move can increase core strength, train your shoulder and upper back muscles, and improve your balance. 

The headstand position is often confused with the handstand position where you both stand with your feet up and your hands and head down. But in a headstand, you balance your head with your hands as support and your head touching the floor. Whereas in a handstand, the head does not touch the floor and the hands become the full support of the body. Although different, both positions work the same muscle groups: the core, back, arms and shoulders.

Benefits of Headstand Position

Some of the benefits of the headstand position such as:

• Strengthens upper body and core muscles
• Nourishes the digestive tract
• Improves blood flow to the face 
• Helps relieve stress and calm the mind
• Stimulates the lymphatic system
• Relieves menopausal symptoms
• Prevents headaches
• Increases lung capacity

How to Safely Perform a Headstand

A headstand or sirsasana is a difficult position. It requires a lot of upper body strength and can be dangerous if you're not prepared to support your weight upside down. Beginners are not advised to attempt a headstand.

If you want to practice this position, you should do it with the help of an instructor. If this position is still scary for you, you can try practicing on a wall. The first time you try, you might fail and fall because you are not balanced. But if you practice diligently, you can master this position.

Some of the exercise moves you can do to try the headstand position are:

• Kneel on the floor and position yourself
• Bring your hands together to create a triangle shape with your forearms
• Interlace your fingers and open your palms
• Place the tips of your little fingers together to stabilize the bottom of your hands
• Place your head between your hands, the top of the head should be down, not too far forward or backward
• Lift your hips and straighten your legs
• Carefully move the leg towards the head until the hip is as close to the shoulder as possible
• Slowly lift the leg up and try to straighten it out

You may fail on your first attempt at a headstand. Apart from the fact that your balance and muscle strength are not yet trained, some of the mistakes that often occur during headstands include kicking, not distributing your weight properly, and moving too fast. During the exercise, you should move slowly, stay focused and catch your breath.

To return from the headstand position, it is recommended that you do so slowly. Slowly bend the knees to bring the ankles closer to the hips, bend the knees close to the chest, hold this position for a few seconds, and slowly lower the feet to the floor. Release tension in the neck, shoulders, and back and return to a seated position. 

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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