Building A Better Headstand

This entry was written on Jun 18, 2009 by our Running Guru Heidi Splete

I'm a big fan of yoga as a form of cross training for running. I've been doing yoga for about 12 years, and I think it has helped my overall fitness as well as my running.

And you don't have to do it every day (I certainly don't). Ideally I go to a class twice a week, usually Monday and Wednesday, and my weight workout days are Tuesday and Thursday.

I enjoy yoga, and I try not to stress out about the poses that I haven't been able to make much progress in. But in my class last night, I learned a tip that may put me on the path to a better headstand--the "sweet spot" on your head where you can balance best may be closer to your forehead than you think!

Most people presume that the flattest part of the head is on the top, or toward the back. But my instructor said that for her, it's much more foreward--only a few inches back from her forehead.

I tried that approximate spot, and my head felt so much more stable, and I didn't feel like my neck was compressing the way it usually does when I try to maintain a headstand (Ok, I'm balancing my feet on the wall, but I'm working on it).

For anyone who struggles with headstands, or anyone who's considering adding yoga to their cross-training menu, just do it! And experiment to find the right balance spot, so you can move on to working on alignment and core strength in this pose.

Happy Running! (and headstanding)