Headstand

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Pose that is an inversion posture of standing head down

title: "Headstand" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["static-elements-(gymnastics)"] description: "Pose that is an inversion posture of standing head down" topic_path: "general/static-elements-gymnastics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headstand" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Pose that is an inversion posture of standing head down ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Hand_and_headstand.JPG" caption="Man doing a headstand in a park in [[Buenos Aires"] ::

The headstand, or sometimes head stand, is a pose that is an inversion posture of standing head down. The technique is used in different settings such as yoga, breakdancing, acrobatics and beginner gymnastics.

How to practice headstand

  • Start from kneeling position on mat and put your forearms on the floor in front of you.
  • Weave your fingers together and lie on your head, making a stable “tripod” with your hands and head.
  • Pressure your hips and straighten your legs, under your toes, until your hips are vertically above your shoulders.
  • Engage your core and peel your legs off the ground at the very start when moving them towards the ceiling.
  • Keep the steady position between your hands or to your toes and don’t let your head go down, but rather keep a straight line from head to heels.
  • Breathe for a few moments, then gradually add duration to your pose with your strength and comfort level growing.
  • To exit the pose, lower the legs slowly back down with the support of your hands and then lower yourself to a kneeling position.

Health risks

  • If the headstand is not done perfectly, the performer is likely to suffer head injury from standing on the head.
  • If one is suffering from high blood pressure, one should avoid headstand.

In yoga

The yoga headstand, Shirshasana, may be balanced and symmetrical from all perspectives, even though not always in a legs-vertical position. The asana has many variations, several of them asymmetrical.

File:Shirshasana.jpg|Yoga headstand, Shirshasana File:Unknown Headstand 1.jpg|alt=Unknown Headstand 1|With feet as in Baddha Konasana File:Mr-yoga-sideways-bound-angle-headstand-1.jpg|A variation

References

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

static-elements-(gymnastics)