Doing a headstand requires full-body strength.

This yoga headstand progression will help you build the muscles you should probably master the move.

There are a few key muscles responsible for getting youand keeping youin the position.

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Hold for a minute and repeat.

Lift back up and continue to repeat slowly.

Lift back up to boat, and slowly repeat.

Two young women practicing ballet with a teacher in the dance hall.

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It will also help you understand proper shoulder alignment, which is key.

Hold this position, with your knees in your chest, for 15 seconds.

A full headstand:Once youve got the balled-up version of a yoga headstand progression down pat.

Woman doing hip exercises

you’re able to work on straightening your legs.

Douglas suggests working with a teacher on an assisted headstand until your comfortable, and thenfinally(finally!)

youll be ready for the real deal.

Cropped image of woman doing lunge yoga pose

You think headstands are fun?

Wait until you hear what happened whenone of our editors triedlaughingyoga(in India!).

And heres, uh,why yoga sometimes makes you queef.

Woman in leggings and bra doing Lunge with Arm Extended Up pose hip opener stretch during yoga session in morning at home.

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Woman doing arm exercise without weights while sitting on mat at home.

A woman in sports clothes does yoga or gymnastics at home. Daylight. She smiles