CAUTION: First of all what we tend to think of as a headstand is more of an arm balance, most of the weight is taken by the arms, done properly very little weight is on the muscles and vertebra of the neck. It is this type of headstand/arm balance that tends to be recommended for long stays. The variations with less support from the arms tend to be short stays and are often for demonstration purpose and not perhaps practiced regularly (which begs the question why we need to demonstrate them in the first place). After a period of time practicing a regular headstand and other asana we build up strength in the appropriate muscles of the neck and shoulder which may allow us to practice these variations with less risk of harm.
I posted this excellent video from David Garrigues yesterday which introduces his new King of Asana (sirsasana) downloadable video course. Mostly the course gives preparation for headstand employing several Primary series postures, it also looks at stabalizing your headstand. At one point in the course David looks at a padmasana variation but otherwise he doesn't look closely at all the different variations we see demonstrated in the video below.
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| Not recommended - To approach it safely you'll want to have been working on regular headstands for some time especially Middle group niralumba sirsasana ( headstand with less and without support, see below). When this picture was taken I had been spending the previous year practicing long stays in headstand including the full 40 minute Vinyasa Krama inverted sequence once a week. See Simon Borg-Olivier's demonstration of this variation along with breathing exercises in the Appendix at the end of the post. |
I posted this excellent video from David Garrigues yesterday which introduces his new King of Asana (sirsasana) downloadable video course. Mostly the course gives preparation for headstand employing several Primary series postures, it also looks at stabalizing your headstand. At one point in the course David looks at a padmasana variation but otherwise he doesn't look closely at all the different variations we see demonstrated in the video below.
David's new website https://www.davidgarrigues.com/
When I saw the above video yesterday I was reminded of all the variations that Krishnamacharya would practice and teach in Mysore in the 1930s back when Pattabhi Jois was his student, only a few of these variations were unfortunately carried over into Ashtanga series. However ,Krishnamacharya continued to teach them, to his long time student Srivatsa Ramaswami for example who taught them to us on the five week TT that I attended in 2010.
Here's Krishnamacharya in 1938 demonstrating some of these variations.
The next two videos are the full sequence that Ramaswami taught us containing the Sirsasana variations that can be found in his Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga as well as my own practice book. The first video is a speeded up presentation.
Note: the video below shows sarvangasana (shoulderstand), for Ramaswami ( and thus Krishnamacharya) Sarvangasana served as a preparation as well as a counter posture for sirsasana (headstand). A typical sequence would include some shoulderstand prep postures, soulderstand without variation 5 mins, shoulderstand with variations 5 mins, Headstand without variations 5 mins, headstand with variations 5 mins, shoulderstand as pratkriya (counterposture).
Note: the video below shows sarvangasana (shoulderstand), for Ramaswami ( and thus Krishnamacharya) Sarvangasana served as a preparation as well as a counter posture for sirsasana (headstand). A typical sequence would include some shoulderstand prep postures, soulderstand without variation 5 mins, shoulderstand with variations 5 mins, Headstand without variations 5 mins, headstand with variations 5 mins, shoulderstand as pratkriya (counterposture).
Practice sheets for these variations/subroutines can be found at the end of this post.
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One of the tricky variations from Krishnamacharya's 1938 demonstration video
Some variations that did get carried over to Ashtanga are found in the Ashtanga 2nd series, the seven headstands lovingly known as the seven deadlies.
Vinyasa Krama version of these less supported headstands.
I have a soft spot for this padmasana to sirsasana variation that I saw Ricky Tran practicing on Ramaswami's TT
Krishnamacharya and Ramaswami recommended long stays in a well supported headstand where almost no weight is actually on the head but rather on the forearms. We would practice a few key shoulderstand preparation asana, a five minute sarvangasana (shoulderstand) then a counterposture followed by a a five to ten minute well supported headstand then five to ten minutes of sirsasana variations before employing sarvangasana (shoulderstand) variations and finally a counterposture.
More sirsasana variations in the second half of this video.
The sirsasana mandala found in the later Ashtanga series, not recommended due to the risk of neck injury.
This next video was part of the Rishi project staying in all the asana from primary and second series Ashtanga for 25 to 50 breaths each. However, while possible long stays in less and unsupported headstands is not recommend as too much weight is placed on the head and neck, we weren't designed for it.
Some Tutorials although I recommend David Garrigues king of Asana course. First a rare talkie followed by the headstand lead in from Vinyasa Krama.
Info on the Vinyasa krama sequences can be found on my Vinyasa Krama blog
LINKS to Related posts
Below is my Earlier post on Krishnamacharya's headstands variations in full
see also perhaps
see also perhaps
and this newsletter from Ramaswami outlining the benefits of practicing these asana variations.
And also this article from Ramaswami on Sirsasana and variations
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| Krishnamacharya t 84 |
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| Krishnamacharya at 50 in 1938 Mysore. |
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Practice sheets below from my practice book
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| Link to Lulu.com Also available on Amazon but Lulu allow me to discount. There's a kindle version with hyperlinks to the videos but it only really works well on the Kindle Ipad app where you can enlarge pictures easily, the pictures are too small on the actual kindle. |
Inverted/Sirsasana variation sub-rountines
see THIS page from the top of this blog for more practice sheets
Why do inversions?
"Some contemporary yogis may read these metaphorical narrations with a
wry smile. However these inversions should be considered as unique
contributions of Yoga, for health. Within the first few minutes of
Sirsasana practice, the leg and thigh muscles, the gluteal muscles,
relax. The chest, back, shoulders and neck muscles also relax as all
these are not required to maintain the postural tone as in the upright
position. It has been found that due to the relaxation of the leg
muscles, the blood pressure in the legs drop to about 30mm.There is no
great rush of blood to the head among the adept yogis due to auto
regulation; yet the gravity helps to open up many capillaries in the
brain, head and face which may otherwise remain partially closed.
People with high blood pressure and retinal problems will have to be
careful. However persons with mild hypertension and under control with
diet, life style change and even medication could benefit from this
posture if they had learnt it from early life. It appears to increase
pressure on the shoulders which would result in the brain trying to
reduce the blood pressure. Therefore if one would practice Sirshasana
regularly for a sufficient duration, one’s pulse rate tends to reduce,
thereby reducing the strain on the heart. Gradually there is a
reduction in the blood pressure.
What is equally important is that Sirsasana helps improve circulation
of the cerebro spinal fluid, which is helpful to the brain and also
for the spinal nerve bundles—the chakras. Because of the increased
pressure in the brain due to this fluid, the pituitary secretions
increase helping the better functioning of the sympathetic nervous
system which will help in many ways including the dilatation of the
bronchial tubes giving great relief to asthmatics. There is draining
of the bronchial tubes, giving some welcome relief for those with
chronic chest congestion. Many feel increased memory power and
general better brain capacity. There are cases of even some correction
of the eyesight. The vinyasas like the twists, Akunchanasana, the
backbends like Viparitadandasana in Sirsasana and Uttanamayurasana in
Sarvangasana help the spine considerably, by not only maintaining the
flexibility of this structure but also nourish the nadis and chakras
or nerve fibers and nerve bundles in the spinal chord.
In the inversions, as mentioned in earlier articles, the internal
organs get positional correction. Pregnant yoginis may find the
inversions help relieve pelvic congestion, oedema of the legs,
conditions that are prevalent during pregnancy. Practising the
inverted poses with the variety of vinyasas gives a complete massage
to all the muscles, organs and considerably increases the blood
circulation. Perhaps equally important is the effect of the twin poses
on the major joints-- the ankles, the knees, the hips and the spine.
The intra-articular space within the joints improves and hence the
joint movements when one does the various vinyasas also will improve.
Dorsal and plantar flexions performed in the ankle joints while in
these asanas help the ankles significantly. Asanas like Akunchanasana
in inversions give good relief to the knees, while inversions help
to open the hips by dragging the big pelvic girdle down a bit and
giving more space for the femur to move and rotate nicely within the
hip socket(pl refer to Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga for headstand and
shoulder stand vinyasas). Perhaps the most benefit accrues to the
entire spine. The inter-vertebral space is enhanced and person who
practises these inversions and the vinyasas like akunchanasana and
backbends will find the spine stretching nicely and becoming more
flexible. The narrowing of the inter-vertebral space can be tackled
positively and the low back pain reduces significantly. I would say
that the inversions are the best yoga postures to alleviate low back
pain. Overall these inversions and the vinyasas in them help to keep
the spine supple and strong. It is said one is as old as the condition
of the spine. Further, because of the relaxation of the lower
extremities Sarvangasana is a good pose to help overcome insomnia.
These twin poses are very good for health".
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Appendix
Simon Borg Olivier Breathing Around the Spine in Headstand
In this two minute video, Yoga Synergy Director and physiotherapist, Simon Borg-Olivier demonstrates breathing around the spine in such way the expansion due to inhalation is first seen and felt in the lower back then the upper back, then the chest and finally the abdomen. Then the contraction due to exhalation begins in the lower back, then the upper back, then the chest and finally the abdomen. In this type of the breathing, which is best learnt from a seated or normal standing position, the inhalation up the back from the tailbone up the spine is quite subtle so it appears that the chest is being inflated first and the abdomen second. Similarly on exhalation up the back from the tailbone up the spine is quite subtle so it appears that the chest is being compressed first and the abdomen draws inwards second. In the final part of the video Simon holds his breath out and performs an expansive uddiyana bandha, which is an expansion of the chest and upper back like an attempt at inhaling into the chest with a relaxed abdomen but without actually inhaling. This is followed by an isolation of the rectus abdominis (nauli).
SPINAL CIRCULAR BREATHING:
This type of circular breathing around the spine has many benefits. Inhalation up the back of the body tractions the spine and brings blood to to inter-vertebral joints. Inhalation down the front of the body (i.e. breathing into the chest first) relieves prolapse of the internal organs, which can help to remove pressure of the intestines, reproductive organs and the bladder, as well as improve venous blood to the heart. Exhalation up the back of the can help to remove stale blood from the spinal veina (which have no one-way back flow valves like the veins in the limbs have) and strengthen the multifidus muscles that are so important to healthy spinal function. Exhalation down the front of the body helps to massage the internal organs as well as helps to slow the heart rate and calm the nervous system
CHEST INHALATION:
Simply breathing into the chest has many benefits including relieving prolapse of the internal organs of the lower trunk, allowing the lungs to become fully inflated and also freeing the joints of the ribs, the upper back and the neck. However, most people tend to only get minimal benefits from breathing into the chest because they do it by first inhibiting the diaphragm by tensing the muscles of forced abdominal exhalation or the the anal constrictor muscles.
ABDOMINAL EXHALATION:
Exhaling using first upper transverse abdominis then lower abdominis fibres, as shown in the video, can also be very good for massaging the internal organs, mobilising the lumbar vertebrae to relieve lower back pain, and also assist in the secretion of hormones from the endocrine glands. Most people, however, can not isolate the upper and lower fibres of the transverse abdomens without also activating the oblique muscles of the abdomen that inhibit diaphragmatic function; the correct functioning of the reproductive system, immune system and digestive system; as well as the natural mobility of the lumbar spine.
MORE INFORMATION:
If you wish to learn more please see our blog at http://blog.yogasynergy.com. Yoga Synergy also runs regular teaching training course with Simon Borg-Olivier and/or Bianca Machliss in Australia, India and elsewhere around the world (please see http://yogasynergy.com/training). We also run comprehensive and award winning online courses that are described below. These courses are great for anyone interested in yoga, exercise or health but they for anyone who wants ongoing yoga teacher training.
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