Kulae Posture Series: Headstand (Salamaba Sirasana)

Sirasana (Headstand) is an invigorating posture that stimulates the nervous system. It also increases circulation and prevents buildup of fluid retention in the feet, ankles, and legs. Major benefits for this posture are as follows: improves your digestion, respiratory system, and eliminatory system, and stimulates the lymphatic system. Additionally, it helps to prevent tension headaches by releasing muscular tension in the upper body and strengthens your musculoskeletal system. Salamba Sirsasana is not a pose for beginners. We will practice this posture using the wall as a prop.

Place your mat by the wall and kneel facing the wall. Interface your fingers and cup your hands. Optionally, loop a strap around your elbows to help keep them shoulder-width apart. Set your forearms on the mat with your elbows shoulder distance apart.

Place the crown of your head on the mat. The back of the head touches the padding of your thumbs. Cup your head with a space between your palms. Make sure your chin is parallel to the floor. If you are too far on the back of the head, your throat will compress and the natural curve of the neck is compromised and could strain. If you are too far toward your forehead, your eyes might feel puffy.

Tuck your toes under and take your hips toward the ceiling walking the feet towards your torso. Top wrist stacks directly about the bottom wrist. Keep the inner and out wrists parallel. (Do not allow the palms to fall backward or grip the hands tightly together). Elbows are shoulder width apart. Inner and upper arms are parallel to each other. Spin the upper outer arms toward the ears (triceps to biceps, creating external rotation at the shoulder joint).

Center and press down with the forearms so all the weight is not at the head. Lift the upper arms away from the floor. Increase the angle between the forearms and upper arms (shoulder will not stack directly over the elbows).

Take your heels towards the buttocks and place them on the wall, pausing with the feet and hips on the wall. Then take the legs up the wall and since the legs are extended, try and take the buttocks off the wall to get as straight as possible. Lift your shoulders as the tendency is for them to drop. Pelvis should be aligned and neutral. Firm the sacrum in and reach the tailbone up toward the heels. Reach your pubic bone and tailbone equally toward the ceiling.

Draw the shoulders and trapezius muscles away from the neck, which is important in Sirasana as it protects the neck. Upper and lower trapezium are working to create upward rotation; when engaged, the lower trapezius also pulls the shoulder blades away from the neck. Wrap the outer edges of the shoulder blades around the side ribs (upward rotation). Move the inner shoulders away from the floor to create space around the neck. Firm the shoulder blades in toward the back ribs while keeping the front ribs soft. Spread across the collarbones.

Direct the front ribs gently toward the frontal hipbones to minimize the tendency to overarch the lower back. Draw the thoracic spine in toward the chest as you soften the front ribs.

Raise the heels towards the buttocks. Take your legs towards the ceiling and press through your forearms. Press the femurs back and lift the tops of your buttocks towards your heels. Stretch up through inner legs. Press inner thighs back. Straighten your legs by activating the front and back of the thighs. Quadriceps and hamstrings are both working to extend the legs and hips.

Press your front thighs back while extending up with the tailbone. Release the inner and outer thighs back evenly (legs in neutral rotation at the hips). Flex your feet and reach through the heels to lengthen the back of the body. Point through the arches and spread the toes to lengthen the front of the legs and release the groins. Energetically reach up through the ball of the big toe (to engage the peroneals and avoid tendency toward supination.

Rolling too far forward or too far back on the head is a common misalignment. This can compromise the neck. The spot just above the crown of the head is the best spot for most to have on the mat.

To come down, take the buttocks to the wall, bend the knees and bring the feet to the buttocks, shoulders lifted, pause, and with control, curl the feet towards the ribs, lower the feet down towards the chest to the floor and move into Balasana to protect the neck. Roll up and sit back on the heels.