The King of Yoga Poses
Headstand belongs in a group of poses called inversions (upside down basically!)
Inversions reverse the action of gravity on the body; instead of everything being pulled towards the feet, the orientation shifts towards the head. Similarly, on an emotional level, inverted asanas turn everything upside down, throwing a new light on old patterns of behaviour and our way of being.
In general, inversions can be a bit daunting at first. Turning upside down for any period of time can feel strange and be physically challenging, but if you stick with it, there are incredible benefits. In fact, headstand is called the king of all yoga poses because of the numerous benefits attributed to it.
Recently, I wrote on this blog about the benefits of Shoulderstand, as described by BKS Iyengar. As I said then, I am not a doctor or scientist, I make no claims of brilliance. I am simply a yogi who has practised and studied Iyengar yoga for over 25 years, and am sharing the teaching of BKS Iyengar….so here’s the lowdown on headstand…
| 1. Relieve Stress | Headstand helps you to draw your attention inwards. Once mastered, this pose is calming, which is extremely helpful if you suffer from anxiety, stress, fear or otherwise worrisome thoughts. Combine headstand with long, slow breathing and you have a great tool for stress relief |
| 2. Increase Focus
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Inversions increase blood flow to your brain. This can improve mental function, increase your concentration span, sharpen memory and enhance clarity of thought |
| 3. Strengthen your Immune System
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The lymphatic system is responsible for waste removal, fluid balance and immune system response (think rubbish dump system). This network of nodes and fluids help to remove waste products from your blood. When you flip onto your head you will be directly stimulating your lymphatic system and thereby improving the efficient removal of toxins from your body and strengthening your immune system |
| 4. Increase Blood Flow to the Head and Scalp
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Being upside down helps your body deliver extra nutrients and oxygen to your head and scalp, thereby improving nutrient delivery to your hair follicles |
| 5. Strengthen your Upper Body
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While you are holding yourself up in headstand, you should be pushing down into the ground with your forearms – using the strength of your arms, shoulders and back. This is an awesome posture for improving upper body strength and muscular endurance |
| 6. Improve Digestion
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It is thought the reversal of gravity helps the productivity of your digestive organs. You will help to move stuck material, release trapped gases and improve blood flow to the all-important digestive organs whilst increasing nutrient absorption and delivery to your cells |
| 7. Decrease Fluid build-up in the legs, ankles and feet
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Oedema in the legs is no fun, and it can happen if you tend to spend long hours on your feet. Inversions help to flush out built-up water in the legs, relieving the uncomfortable feeling of oedema & reducing the likelihood of varicose veins |
| 8. Develop Strength in the Core Muscles
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Headstands strengthen deep core muscles. To hold a well-aligned headstand for an extended period of time, the practitioner must engage the obliques, the rectus abdominus and the transverse abdominus. Having a strong core makes you more durable and less prone to injury during exercise and life in general |
| 9. Improve Bone Density | Yoga pits one group of muscles against another, and we use the muscles against the force of gravity, resulting in significantly improved bone density over time |
| 10. It’s fun!!!
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It really is 🙂
You’re standing on your head – like a kid – and it’s good for you! |
Headstand is definitely not a pose I would recommend you get into on your first day of practicing yoga, but once safely introduced by your teacher I do highly recommend you keep at it because it’s a great posture with tons of benefits!
Inversions are not for everyone, they are not recommended if you suffer from the following:
Cervical Spondylosis
Pain/discomfort/pressure in the head, eyes, ears, neck or throat
Cardiovascular disease
Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood pressure
Excess weight
Glaucoma
Detached Retina
(If in doubt talk to your teacher/doctor)