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Also known as: Sirsasana.

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Technique

  1. Place the forearms on the floor and clasp the hands, keeping the elbows no wider than shoulder width (you can check the width by wrapping the fingertips around the outside of the opposing elbows for spacing, then clasp the hands again without moving the elbows).
  2. Place the crown of the head between the wrists, cradling the back of the head with the hands.
  3. Walk the feet in, lifting the hips above the shoulders, and keeping weight in the forearms.
  4. Once you feel as vertical as possible, begin to squeeze the legs together and lift from the core, bringing the legs up together.

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Form tips

  • Tight Hamstrings may prevent walking the feet in close enough. Tight shoulders can make it difficult to bear weight in this position. Avoid collapsing in the upper back and instead work in the prep position with feet on the floor to build strength and openness. Once you have full stability in the shoulders you can try SMALL jumps to get the hips over the shoulders with knees bent and find balance there. There should be VERY LITTLE WEIGHT ON YOUR HEAD.
  • The neck should be in a neutral position (not extended or flexed). This may take some experimentation to find the right spot on the top of the head to place on the floor.
  • It is recommended to AVOID JUMPING fully into the posture as this tends to compromise the foundation of the upper arms and may put the neck at risk. Rather, think of pressing the foundation (upper body) down in order to lift the lower body (hips and legs). Be patient.
Risks
  • If you fall forward, tuck your chin and round your back to roll and avoid falling with a straight back onto the ground. Tip: rolling on the interlaced fingers can crush them a little; to avoid this, don’t interlace them all the way but leave some space.

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Muscles

Strength

Primary

  • Neck

Secondary

  • Back
  • Serratus anterior
  • Shoulders
  • Chest
  • Sternocleidomastoid
  • Longus capitis
  • Rectus capitis anterior
  • Longus colli
  • Semispinalis capitis
  • Splenius
  • Rectus capitis posterior major
  • Rectus capitis posterior minor
  • Obliquus capitis superior
  • Longissimus cervicis
  • Longissimus capitis
  • Upper trapezius
  • Obliquus capitis inferior
  • Lower trapezius
  • Serratus anterior
  • Anterior deltoid
  • Middle deltoid

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Equipment

Ground (hands or body)
Ground (hands or body)

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Appears in

Balance
Other disciplines
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Neckflexionextension
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