Floating Headstand Tutorial
"Sometimes life has to turn upside down so that you can learn to live more right side up."
Why get upside down?
Inversions show the positive effects gravity can have on physiological processes of the body. The human body is sensitive to the fluctuations of gravity because it consists of more than 60 percent water. Practicing inversions help cleanse and strengthen the body, as well as relax and calm the mind. The heart works hard constantly, pushing fresh oxygenated blood into the organs and into the brain. Going upside down improves this flow with less effort from the heart. In a 1992 Yoga International's article on Headstand and the circulatory system, "If you can remain in an inverted posture for just 3 to 5 minutes, the blood will not only drain quickly to the heart, but tissue fluids will flow more efficiently into the veins and lymph channels of the lower extremities and of the abdominal and pelvic organs, facilitating a healthier exchange of nutrients and wastes between cells and capillaries." Inversions can also have a calming effect on the brain and nervous system, leading to reduced rates in stress and anxiety.
Caution should be exercised when doing inversions, as they can be quite challenging and are not always suitable for people with certain health conditions. Women should avoid inverting during menstruation because blood supply to the uterus is temporarily blocked during inversion, which then briefly stops the flow of blood. This may cause you to feel shaky, nauseous or disoriented. As a general rule, do not perform inversions if you have conditions such as high blood pressure, detached retina, slipped disc, cardiovascular disease or kidney disease.
On the Water
Getting inverted is always a daunting challenge in the beginning. Overcoming the fear of having your head below your feet and looking at the world in a whole new way is the first step. Once you find contentment here, lifting your toes up off the board, then your entire foot followed by straightening the legs is actually the easy part.
Here are some of my tips and tricks to get inverted while on top a floating surface:
1) Don't fight the water.
You are on a floating surface with the water swaying beneath you. Move with the water instead of searching for stillness, take a deep breath, find a place to focus, engage your core and don't let the barriers you create in your mind hold you back.
2) Create a strong base.
There are many different ways to get into a headstand: Tripod, Forearm and Supported with your hands interlaced. Whichever variation feels most comfortable and stable for you on a paddleboard is great! Start by place your arms/hands in any variation you choose slightly in front of the handle of the board or grip onto the side of the board. Once you are centered in the most stable place on the board place the crown of your head down on the board, ensure that your neck and shoulders are not sinking or crunching into each other, you want the neck elongated and shoulder blades to broaden as you draw them down towards your sit bones.
Once you have set up a strong foundation you can walk the feet towards your face, place one knee at a time onto the backs of your forearms, draw the knees in together and try to float your feet up into the air. Once you are up, utilize your core to keep your hips, spine and neck in a straight vertical line.
3) It's OK to get wet!
Your only barrier is YOU! If you are more concerned with falling into the water and getting wet you are only holding back your own potential. Let go and know that you won't always get up right away and that is totally fine! Make peace with whatever happens without getting too attached to how the final pose should look. Besides, the worst that could happen is you get a little wet.
4) Why so serious?
SUP Yoga is fun so don't be so hard on yourself when poses you knock out on land become some of the most challenging on the water. Keep your practice on the water light and playful, you'll be amazed at how much you can achieve when you are not so hard on yourself and you just let yourself flow~
