Practicing Your Headstand
with a Yoga Wheel
…
Practicing the tougher inversions like headstands, forearm stands, and handstands require proper alignment to avoid an injury.
When using the Plexus Yoga Wheel, we have found this prop to be useful in assistance to finding that sweet spot for holding your balance, enabling you to lift up into your desired inversion after adjusting the arms and elbows into proper alignment.
Here’s how to use a yoga wheel to practice your headstand:
With the yoga wheel behind or next to you, start on all fours in tabletop position. Grab your elbows with both hands and align your shoulders to make sure your hands have both of your entire elbows in the palms. Keeping your elbows and shoulders where there are, cradle your head by connected your hands in front to create a supported area for your head.
2. Now adding the yoga wheel, use your feet to get it upright and ready where you can extend your leg fully on top of the wheel (as shown above). Once one foot has the placement of the wheel, slowly add the other foot. Both legs should be straight and pointed on the wheel, while your upper body should be secure in the formation of your headstand and ready for balance. This may take some wiggling!
3. Practice lifting one leg at a time straight up into Downward Dog Split until you start to feel confident in your balance and perhaps holding both legs.
4. Placing both feet back on the wheel, start to slowly lift both up off the wheel together, working towards maintaining your balance and engaging your core muscles.
5. Once you are just about all the way up, really work on stillness and remaining present in the moment in order to maintain balance. Any wobbling here is okay, but practice finding your presence here.
6. Lifting all the way up, remain focused and calm, making small adjustments in the body to catch yourself from falling. You’ll know your sweet spot and will be able to hold your headstand after practice!
Check out the entire movement in action below!
Interested in the Standard Plexus Yoga Wheel?