A lot of the yogis we follow on Instagram are constantly wowing us with their ability to flip upside down into all kinds of incredible inversion poses. Inversions are yoga poses where you put your head below your heart and your hips.
Inversion poses can be very beneficial for our health and well-being, believed to relieve tension, improve circulation, increase strength and flexibility, and boost energy levels. However, they can be pretty tricky to master. If your headstand doesn’t seem to be improving and you’re feeling defeated, try these top tips.
Build Your Strength
You will need to be strong, flexible, and confident in your movements before you should try inversions. Build up your core and upper body strength through less visually impressive poses, like downward-facing dog, boat pose, and sun salutations.
If inversions are one of your goals, ask your yoga teacher which asanas to practice at home.
Learn the Way In & Out
Don’t try and throw yourself up into a headstand without learning how to get in and out of one. This can lead to injury, and also won’t give you the benefits of mastering the correct way to perform the pose. Ask for close instruction from your teacher, or watch detailed videos so you can learn exactly how your body needs to transition into the inversion.
Breathe
Breathing is key. During all your yoga practice, you should constantly be focusing on your breath, especially when doing a tricky inversion pose. If you realize you’re holding your breath, head into child’s pose and regain your focus before returning to the inversion.
