How to Reap the Benefits of Inversions: Prep, Precautions, and Keys to a Safe Practice

How to Reap the Benefits of Inversions: Prep, Precautions, and Keys to a Safe Practice

Inversions are a traditional element in many yoga practices, and some styles of yoga encourage students to practice headstand and shoulderstand daily.

However, many yoga teachers and health care providers have concerns about neck strains and other injuries in these poses.

At the same time, however, inversions are thought to have considerable health benefits.Research shows that inversions can help improve vagal tone and down-regulate nervous system function. Inversions also help to stimulate the lymphatic flow, and traditional benefits cited in yogic texts include improved immunity, and a more positive mood. Inversion yoga poses also strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and can help improve posture and balance.

Given the important benefits associated with inversions, how can we prepare ourselves to practice them safely?

In this webinar, Iyengar yoga teacher Julie Gudmestad, P.T. will show how we can introduce inversions in our practice to reap the benefits while avoiding the downsides.

We will begin by looking carefully at the structure of the neck and its vulnerabilities. There are some practitioners with pre-existing neck problems who might choose not to do these poses: when is caution indicated.

We will then examine what it takes to prepare for inversions. We will look at the best ways to strengthen the muscles in the arms, shoulders, and back to help protect and stabilize the neck. You will learn how to structure a progressive home practice program to lay the foundation for the practice of headstand and shoulderstand.

We also go deeply into often overlooked, but important elements for inversion preparation, including head and neck alignment for headstand and shoulder flexibility for shoulderstand.

With good alignment awareness and the necessary strength to stabilize, inversions can take their traditional place in your practice!​​

Take a Sneak Peek at Julie's Slides: