Ask the Teacher: Am I Ready to Try Headstand?
Short answer: There's no need to rush things.
Short answer: There's no need to rush things.
Are you ready to get upside down? Adho Mukha Vrksasana boost your energy—and confidence.
Pincha Mayurasana tones your arms and shoulders, and is a good pose to balance in before practicing an unsupported Handstand.
Salamba Sirsasana lets you experiment with unfamiliar perspectives, test your strength, and address your fears.
Being upside down can shift how we view the world—literally and figuratively.
This tips will get you upside-down in no time.
Reach for the… floor! This flow will pave the way to strong, steady handstands.
Check out Derrick “DJ” Townsel's author page.
Check out Derrick “DJ” Townsel's author page.
If you’ve never heard of an inversion table, then it might be time for you to learn about what this great tool can do, particularly if you suffer from chronic back pain. Millions of Americans do, to a greater or lesser extent. For some, back pain is an occasional thing that can be managed relatively easily, but for others, it can be debilitating. An inversion table allows you to strap yourself in so that you can turn yourself upside down or to an inverted angle. You’re comfortably suspended by the ankles, legs, or feet in order to take advantage of the therapeutic benefits of inversion, which is the process of hanging upside down or at an angle. There are several inversion tables on the market. You want one that is in your price range, well-constructed, and has good reviews from those who have purchased it.
Start to understand, lengthen, and strengthen your teres major—a little-known muscle that can be the key to protecting your shoulders when you go upside down.
Take yoga teacher, martial artist, and Primal Yoga® creator Liz Arch's test to find out. Then try her simple tweak to see if your breath could be the only thing holding you back from nailing that coveted pose.
Find safety in numbers. Kathryn Budig walks you through partner work to help you get comfortable balancing in the middle of the room.
Find your edge and shift your weight into your hands as you move step by step into Adho Mukha Vrksasana.
How to gain strength, flexibility, and confidence for inversion yoga poses. Here, the prep tips and video you need to defy gravity.
Try yoga teacher Claire Missingham's ideas for adding some flair to your Vrksasana.
Need help getting started with inversions? Try these 6 poses from Two Fit Moms.
This step-by-step approach to Handstand can benefit longtime inversion fans and total newbies.
Inversions frighten some people but it's well worth the effort to befriend these poses. Ana Forrest teaches us how.
Fear is a natural emotion that everyone deals with, but it can also get in the way of reaching your full potential. What fears have you worked through in your practice?
Sage Rountree explains Handstand's physiological and psychological benefits for athletes.
Kathryn Budig teaches how to build Sirasana, the King of Asanas.
This inversion is beautiful, invigorating and addictive--just like a yoga practice or the prospect of love. Problem is, it takes time, effort, and awareness to properly achieve and honor the pose.
To prime your body for winter health, try this gentle sequence designed to support the lymphatic system.