Forearm Headstand (Sirsasana)

1. In the "Before" photo, I am practicing this headstand on my forehead! Head placement is the #1 form problem I see with headstands. You should be right on the top of your head. A great tip for knowing if your head is in the wrong spot is how your throat and eyes feel. If you're too far back on your head, your throat and neck will feel compressed and if you're too far forward, you'll feel this in your eyes. Avoid injury and make sure you're putting the head back into headstand! 

2. I have a major arch in my back! When practicing a headstand you want to keep a neutral spine at all times. You can do this by imagining you're connecting your ribs towards your hip bones. Try to eliminate the arch to create balance and - most importantly -  avoid injury. You want to imagine you're standing straight up! (just upside down!)

3. My legs are not in line with my body, causing tension in my booty, neck and shoulders. Legs should always be in line with the rest of the body going straight up into the air. You can keep the legs straight by engaging the leg muscles, which will release unwanted tension in your booty, neck and shoulders. Always be lifting up, not tensing up!

PROP MODIFICATION: WALL

Start against a wall to correct form with support. And if you're not ready for headstand yet, practice wide-legged forward bend as a building block pose!