Introduction to Yoga – Inversions

Practicing inversions can take ample amounts of strength, flexibility, patience, and courage. Many people aren't used to trying to invert themselves, so being able to trust your body needs to be dealt with before practicing. For most poses, it is recommended that a wall be used during the beginning to get used to the practice and to reduce the nervous energy experienced when trying to invert.

Practicing inversions can lead to better sleep, focus, and digestion. There is also a lot of satisfaction that comes from these poses because they are challenging and can induce fear.

Contraindications and Cautions

Do not practice inversions if you have a back, shoulder, or neck injury. Those with a heart condition, high blood pressure, or a headache should also refrain from this practice. It is also recommended that women menstruating also refrain from this practice. Some suggest that short inversions (2-3 minutes) can be done during menstruation during light flow days.

Preparatory Poses

To prepare your body for inversions, work on your core and upper body muscles. If your core and upper body are strong, you will not feel any strain when inverted and will be able to fully enjoy the pose. To train the body to get used to the upside-down feeling, practice poses where your heart is higher than your head, such as dolphin pose. Core poses and arm strengthening poses, like plank pose are important to practice.

Going Heels over Head

Plow Pose

This pose is a good inversion to start training your body to get used to being upside-down. This particular pose stimulates the abdominal organs and the thyroid gland, stretches the shoulders and spine, reduces stress and fatigue, and calms the brain. If it strains you to touch the floor with your feet, brace a chair against a wall and bring your feet to rest in an elevated position on the chair.

Supported Shoulderstand

This pose calms the brain, helps relieve stress and mild depression, stretches the shoulders and neck, tones the legs and buttocks, improves digestion, and reduces fatigue. Some may have a difficult time getting to a shoulderstand from the floor; try using a wall to get into position.

Supported Headstand

This is easily my favorite inversion because it calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression, strengthens the arms, legs, and spine, strengthens the lungs, tones the abdominal organs, and improves digestion. It also makes me feel very good when I come out of the pose, even if I only held it for a minute. Make sure that in practice, most of the pressure rests on your arms and not on your head.

Handstand

Handstands strengthen the shoulders, arms, and wrists, stretch the belly, improve sense of balance, calms the brain, and helps relieve stress and mild depression. The use of a strap around your arms above the elbow can be used to bring your focus to keeping your arms straight.

Resources:

YogaJournal – Inversion 101