Stand on goals

A panacea for all diseases – here, if briefly about the benefits of a headstand. There is an opinion that in terms of the ability to heal, she has no equal. Let’s analyze in detail why this asana is so good, how to perform it correctly and to whom, alas, it is contraindicated.

What does shirshasana mean

The Sanskrit name for the headstand is Shirshasana (“shirsha” translates as “head”). She is considered the queen of asanas, and there are many reasons for this. One of the great yogis of our time, Ayengar, said that if you do not have enough time for a full-fledged practice, do at least inverted asanas. In terms of usefulness, they replace all yoga asanas.

But before we start talking about the beneficial effects of Shirshasana, let’s agree on this: mastering the exercise on your own is dangerous. This should be done only under the guidance of a competent instructor. And it may take more than one year before you start to succeed.

But if you are no longer a beginner in yoga, and your body is used to the loads, you are well versed in asanas and do them confidently and correctly, watch our video lesson. In it, we give the technique of performing the exercise, as well as those asanas that will let you down, help you to do Shirshasana without fear and pain, easily and with joy.

The benefits of exercise

1. Most importantly, the headstand brings fresh blood to the head. This means that the brain cells are renewed, the thinking ability is enhanced, the head becomes light and clear. By the way, all inverted asanas (where the pelvis is above the head) are famous for this.
2. Blood flows to the pituitary and pineal glands – important glands in the brain, on which our health directly depends. Both physical and mental.
3. Improves hormonal balance. And this is how it happens. The pituitary gland is responsible for the production of hormones (it produces hormones that affect growth, metabolism and reproductive function). But you and I walk on our feet, the blood in the body flows down all the time, and the pituitary gland may not receive an accurate picture of the amount of hormones we need. And when we move into a stance, the blood rushes to the head, and the pituitary gland has all the necessary information. He “sees” which hormones we lack and begins the process of replenishing them.
4. Reduces pressure on the walls of venous vessels. This is true for those who suffer from varicose veins. Asana helps eliminate the risk of varicose veins and prevents the development of the disease.
5. Starts the rejuvenation process. Due to what is this happening? The headstand, like all inverted asanas, changes the flow of energy in the human body. It is about prana and apana. Prana moves up, apana moves down. And when we get up in Shirshasana, we just redirect the flow of these energies and start the process of rejuvenation.
6. Clears toxins. Lymph removes everything unnecessary from the body. And it flows only under gravity or during muscle work. If a person leads an inactive lifestyle, his muscles are flabby and not developed – the lymph, alas, stagnates. An amazing effect occurs when we turn upside down. Lymph under the force of gravity again begins to work and free the body from accumulated toxins.
7. Improves metabolism.
8. Very good in women’s practices, normalizes the menstrual cycle.
9. Turns on the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation. After all, what happens when we do a handstand? Increased intracranial pressure. Here the body “wakes up” and starts the process of self-regulation. He begins to reassure us, saying that everything is fine, there is no danger. That is why, when we come out of this posture, there is such a pleasant feeling of bliss, relaxation. The parasympathetic nervous system has turned on in the body.
10. Relieves nervous tension, stress and anxiety.
11. Strengthens the work of the lungs, this in turn protects us from coughing and sore throats. It is believed that someone who does a headstand every day simply has no chance of getting ARVI and colds.
12. Fills with energy, relieves fatigue, insomnia.

Exercise harm

We strongly recommend that you consult a doctor before you begin to master this asana. If you are not sure about your health, you need to make sure that you are not among those who should not do a headstand.

So, contraindications for Shirshasana:

• intervertebral hernia, protrusion;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• traumatic brain injury;
• heart failure and heart disease;
• intraocular pressure;
• retinal detachment;
• glaucoma;
• serious vision problems.

There are also time limits:

• full stomach and intestines;
• headache;
• physical fatigue;
• pregnancy;
• period of menstruation in women.

Detailed headstand technique

ATTENTION! The description of the exercise is given for a healthy person. It is better to start the lesson with an instructor who will help you master the correct and safe performance of the headstand. If you do it yourself, carefully watch our video tutorial! Wrong practice can be useless and even dangerous to the body.

Step 1

We sit on our knees, measure the distance between the elbows. It should not be wider than the shoulders. Watch this carefully: the elbows should not move apart to the sides. We put our palms in front of us.

Attention! In this position, there can be two options for setting the hands:

• palms open;
• or tightly closed, for this we interlace the fingers.

Step 2

We set the back of the head closer to the palms, and the crown – to the floor.

Step 3

We raise the pelvis above the floor and step as close to ourselves as possible. We take the pelvis back and, pushing off with our elbows, raise our straight legs up. We remain in this position for a while.

ATTENTION! If straight legs are difficult to immediately raise, first we bend them, tear off the feet from the floor and bring the heels to the pelvis. We are in this position, maintaining balance (if you immediately start to lift them, you risk falling). When you feel confident, straighten your legs vertically up.

Step 4

We smoothly exit the asana in the same sequence.

IMPORTANT!

Pose Adjustment:

• The head should account for no more than 30% of the total body weight, the remaining 70% are distributed to the hands.
• The back of the head, torso, legs and heels form a straight line, without deviations to the side.
• The head, chin and thoracic region should also be in line.
• Try to bring your hips, knees, ankles and heels together. Stretch your legs up to the limit.

How best to end the exercise

After you have put your feet on the mat, it is best to take the child’s pose (this applies to all inverted asanas): kneel on the floor and lean forward, keeping the torso and head in one line. We put our forehead on the rug, place our hands along the body, or stretch it in front of us, join our palms.

If you have a little more time, then after this asana it is better not to jump up and run about. We advise you to do shavasana – a pose of relaxation. In the headstand, your body relaxed (or began to do so, it all depends on the time spent in this position), and now this effect needs to be strengthened and consolidated. 7 minutes is enough for a complete rest in shavasana.

How much time to do exercises

It is believed that at the beginning of mastering this pose, one minute will be enough. Then the time spent in the asana can be gradually increased to 3-5 minutes. Advanced yogis can stand on their heads for 30 minutes. But do not strive immediately for such results!

Only with regular practice does a person begin to feel his body, to understand when it is necessary to leave the pose. If you get up and feel completely fine, this is a wonderful result. But if there is heaviness in the head, there is pain, there is pressure in the eyes – this means that you overexposed the pose. Reduce the time next time you do this exercise.

Tips for beginners

As you already understood, the headstand is a rather difficult asana. Please don’t rush to learn it. There are a number of leading, helping exercises, for example, the “Downward Dog” pose, and now we will tell you about them. It is also important to know that all yoga asanas can prepare us for the stand, because they make the human body strong and resilient.

Exercises to help you do the asana:

Technique performance:

1. We measure about 30 cm from the wall and place our palms on the floor at this distance.
2. Elbows are shoulder width apart, head rests on the floor.
3. We get up in the “triangle”, we approach with our feet closer to the head.

   ATTENTION! There is no need to be afraid to fall: even if you are pulled back, the wall will support you.

4. Bend the right leg at the knee, pull it to the chest.
5. We are trying to shift the weight, pushing off the left foot from the floor.
6. When you feel confident enough in the middle position, pull the other leg towards you.
7. And then straighten both legs up. Stay in this position for a while.

Over time, all movements: raising the legs, the headstand itself and exiting the asana will be given to you almost effortlessly. And remember that Shirshasana is only beneficial when you feel comfortable and confident in it.