This headstand preparation sequence builds the strength and familiarity needed for supported headstand (Salamba Sirsasana): shoulder and core work, dolphin pose, the forearm-and-head base, and walking the feet in, ending before the legs leave the floor. It is a newly designed educational peak-pose sequence by YogaVacation, about 20 minutes long. There is no traditional preparation order, and we strongly recommend learning the full lift into headstand with a qualified teacher.
Why the preparation matters
In a well-built headstand most of the work is done by the forearms and shoulders, so the neck is not crushed under the body weight. That needs strong shoulders that stay lifted, a core that controls the legs, and enough hamstring length to walk the feet close to the face without rounding the back. The sequence trains each of these: downward dog and dolphin for the shoulders, forearm plank and boat for the core, and the headstand base with the knees down to learn the hand and head position.
The sequence, step by step
Warm-up (shoulder circles, cat-cow). A minute of slow shoulder circles and reaching the arms overhead, then six rounds of cat-cow, wake up the shoulders and the spine that will carry you later.
Downward dog and forearm plank. Downward dog teaches you to push the floor away and keep the shoulders lifted with the hips high, the same direction of effort you need upside down. Forearm plank builds the core on the same forearm base the headstand uses. Hold each for five to eight breaths; these numbers are our suggestion.
Dolphin, two or three times. Dolphin is the heart of the sequence. The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch suggests that you may begin with dolphin and progress to the full headstand over time, and Yoga Journal describes dolphin as both a preparation for inversions and an alternative to them. Keep the head off the floor, press the forearms down and lift the hips. Bend the knees and lift the heels if the upper back starts to round.
Boat, then child’s pose. Boat trains the front of the body to control the legs, which matters later when the knees draw in toward the chest. A short rest in child’s pose lets the shoulders recover before the base work.
Headstand base, knees down. Kneel, hold each elbow with the opposite hand and place the forearms on the floor, then keep the elbows where they are and interlace the fingers. The Sivananda teaching calls this a firm triangle of the two elbows and the clasped hands, with equal weight on all three points. Place the top of the head on the floor with the back of the head cradled by the hands, keep the neck straight and press firmly into the forearms. Stay with the knees down and simply get used to the position. Yoga Journal adds two small cues: keep the elbows slightly narrower than the shoulders, and tuck the bottom little finger in.
Walk the feet in, no lift. Without moving the head or the elbows, straighten the knees and lift the hips, then walk the feet toward the face until the back begins to straighten and the hips come over the shoulders. Keep pressing down through the forearms. This is where this sequence stops. The next step, lifting the feet and drawing the knees to the chest, is the moment to have a teacher beside you. Sivananda teachers are clear that you should never jump or kick up.
Coming down and resting. Walk the feet back, lower the knees and sit back into child’s pose. Sivananda teachers ask you not to lift the head straight away but to rest for at least a minute, then relax in corpse pose before continuing.
How the counts and sides work
Every step here is symmetrical, so there are no sides to change. The holds and repeats are our suggestion, not a traditional count. All holds are counted in slow breaths through the nose. If the breath becomes short or held, that is the signal to come down. Yoga Journal also advises coming out at once if you feel more pressure on the head and neck, and suggests building time slowly, starting with about 10 seconds in the full pose and adding 5 to 10 seconds at a time once a teacher has taught you the lift.
How to practise it safely
- Headstand is an advanced inversion. Do not kick up or jump into it; and do not practise the full pose alone until a teacher has seen you do it.
- Do not do this sequence (beyond dolphin) with neck problems, high blood pressure, heart conditions, glaucoma or other eye conditions, recent head injury, or during pregnancy unless your doctor and an experienced teacher agree.
- The crown of the head touches the floor lightly; if the neck feels pressure, press more into the forearms or come down.
- Use a folded blanket under the head and forearms, and practise near a wall with clear space around you.
- Come down slowly and rest in child’s pose before lifting the head.
This sequence has not yet been reviewed by a qualified teacher.
Easier alternatives
Stay with dolphin (it gives most of the shoulder work without weight on the head), or use legs up the wall as a gentle inversion. A tripod headstand is a different pose with a different base, not an easier version.
