Tripod Headstand

Instructions

1. 1Place your palms flat on the mat shoulder-width apart and set the crown of your head on the floor between your hands, forming a tripod triangle.
2. 2Straighten your arms so they create a right angle at the elbow, with hands pressing firmly into the mat.
3. 3Walk your feet toward your face until your hips rise above your shoulders and your spine lengthens.
4. 4Bend your knees and rest them on the backs of your upper arms, using the shelf of your triceps for support.
5. 5When stable, slowly extend both legs upward, squeezing the inner thighs together and pointing through the heels.
6. 6Hold for 5-20 breaths, actively pressing through the palms to protect the neck.
7. 7Lower with control by bending the knees first, then stepping one foot at a time back to the floor.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Wrist or shoulder injuries — the hands bear significant load in this variation, making it contraindicated for any acute wrist or rotator cuff pathology.
• ⚠Neck injury or instability — even with hand support, the cervical spine is compressed; avoid without prior rehabilitation and medical guidance.
• ⚠Uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart conditions — prolonged inversion should be avoided until the condition is medically managed.