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| The only true headstand, the rest are arm balances |
Cautionary note, I'm not a teacher, not really, despite what Ramaswami's certificate on the wall of the home shala says. I think it was a couple of years of teaching English before I considered myself a genuine English teacher ( and by then I was already teaching teachers to teach English), before I began to understand my students and how I might best be able to communicate what I was trying to impart.
Same goes for asana, I can pass on what Ramaswami taught me in Vinyasa Krama along with the tips/hints/ suggestions that I've found useful in my own practice, but it's always only what's worked for me, for my body shape, size and strength.
So I hesitate to post a how to headstand video, what works for me might not work for you but I was asked for any tips so that's what this video is, some ideas that might help when your beginning headstands which has to be better than trying out some of the Advanced headstand videos I have on this blog.
The main tips are
- Using a wall, for building confidence
- Making a firm base with your arms, your going to press down through your arms and take most if not all of the weight on them rather than on your head
- Headstand is an arm balance rather than an actual headstand like the one in the picture above.
- Focus on the hips or the pelvis in space as I once heard it put.
- Bring the hips over the shoulders and even beyond them to use as a counterweight for your legs.
- Kick up to half headstand with the legs bent
- Drop the shoulder blades down the back, this should create space stop your neck getting pinched
- Tap off the wall to find the 'sweet spot'.
- Stretch out through the whole length of your body, engage your legs and bring your attention to the furthers point, your toes
- Focusing the mind on the toes will control the balance once your fully extended.
- Come down by going back to half headstand
- Bring the legs to the chest
- Make sure the toes are turned up so you land safely.
Feel free to jump in with any tips of your own in comments.
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12 comments:
That's a very thoughtful list of tips for headstand. I'm a bit strict and say no wall : ) I learnt sirasana with no wall, pincha too, also never had stabilisers on my bicycle when I was a kid. Similar feeling perhaps. Two camps on this one ; )
Also know what you mean about the teaching thing. In the book Guruji, Rolf (I think it was) talked about the real teacher being the practice and the 'teacher' is there to hold your hand and reflect. A Guru however......
very helpful - thanks G x
Hi エスタ. Digging into a post practice tub of vanilla caramel brownie haagen-Dazs here, so good after a hot sweaty late practice (no breakfast). yes, the wall, it's how I taught myself to do it, great if you've got no body to catch you while your making a mess of it but you do become reliant on it, took me quite a while before I moved to the middle of the room.
I like that about the practice being the real teacher, like it better than the 'guru within' ...perhaps it's a little of both.
Thanks D. hope your cold is getting better.
Good stuff. I would just add that "kicking up" is to be avoided for the safety of the neck. Rather than kicking and hoping for best, I suggest bringing the pelvis back beyond the shoulders to unweight the feet. Use the hips as a counterweight to the legs and the legs will just float up. This way, there's more control, the neck is protected, and breath can be used to initiate the movement.
Hi Megan, I think I say that, something like, you can kick up but it's better to bring the hips forwards...I probably mumble it though so thanks for highlighting it. Hey you haven't done a 'talkie' since your neti pot video, over to you ; )
Grim that was awesome. So helpful, and a talkie? Loved that. It is obvious that you have taught people other skills besides yoga. My headstand happens now though it is still surrounded by drama, heming and hawing. This helped a lot!
Thank you so so much - this is brilliant, you're a star!! I think I got my 3 main tips 1) strong little fingers 2) hips over the shoulders 3) shoulder blades down
Hips over/beyond the shoulders might just be the missing link!
Thanks for including 'when things dont go well' too, that's probably more like my practice at the moment!
So happy you think it might have helped Serene, bit strange doing a talkie, think this is my third.
Perhaps I should do a series of videos/posts on coping when things don't g well, might be fun. Hope it does help, headstands are fun when the balance finally becomes second nature and you can start exploring some of Ramaswami's Inverted subroutines or going for long stays, think forty minutes was my longest but I've heard of people staying up there for two hours.
Oh the one without hands in the picture.... I only managed a breath : )
Agree that it's more of an arm balance than a 'real' headstand. I've also found jumpbacks and jumpthroughs to be constructive in helping to build the core strength that's needed to keep your torso tight and active in this pose.
i agree Savasana, need a lot of strength until your balance improves, remember grinding my elbows into the mat when i first practiced away from the wall, could hardly raise my coffee to my lips by the end of the week.
i agree Savasana, need a lot of strength until your balance improves, remember grinding my elbows into the mat when i first practiced away from the wall, could hardly raise my coffee to my lips by the end of the week.
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