Headstand Falling Over Fear

HeadstandI can do a headstand just fine but I’m always terrified of falling over backwards, so I usually cheat and position myself near a wall. Part of this is due to my tight hamstring issue – I can’t walk my feet up close to my body and lift myself up, I have to “jump” up (which they always tell you not to do in Sivananda class).

I’ve been practicing somersaults lately to get over my falling backwards fear, but I haven’t yet gotten the guts to purposefully fall backwards in headstand. At least with the somersault my hands are free. What can I say? I was one of those kids who could never do a cartwheel. No gymnastics or cheerleading for me growing up…I was  a nerd and always one of the last ones chosen on any sports team.

I fell once during Bakasana (crow pose), and it’s taken me a year to get the guts to lift my feet off the floor again for just a few seconds. Maybe I hurt myself falling in a past life?

Maybe I should just get over and join a “Head Stand Human Skittles” game, where you group people in headstand and throw Nerf balls at them to knock them over like they are bowling pins. And no, I did not make that one up! Strange world this is, eh?

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2 Responses to “Headstand Falling Over Fear”


  1. I am afraid of headstands and generally do them against the wall. I know, I’m a wuss. I have been doing Yoga for the better half of 10 years and I’m still a scaredy cat. Thanks to you (and this post), I’m going to get it together. I like your blog. Please check mine out and let me know what you think.

    Namaste.


  2. Hello there,

    Thank you for your link to my site Strange Games. I haven’t played a full (9 skittles) game of Head Stand Human Skittles for a number of years. Maybe we should all get together, you and your friends to make the skittles, me and mine to throw the balls,

    chin chin!

    Montegue Blister
    (Strange Games)

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