It’s important to warm up your muscles before stretching to avoid strain and potential injury.
Sit upright on the ground with your legs held straight in front of you. Slowly bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight. Extend your hands and reach for your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, try touching your ankles or perhaps your knees. Move your extended legs out so that they’re about shoulder width distance apart. Repeat bending forward and reaching for your toes (or ankles or knees). [3] X Research source
Bend your right knee and bring your right foot inward towards your pelvis. Slowly bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight. Extend your left hand towards your left foot; try to touch your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, try to touch your ankle or your knee. Repeat each step on the left side.
Start on your hands and knees and slowly drop your head and pull your back up into an arch. Hold for several seconds. Drop your stomach, lift your head, and pull your back downward into an inverted arch. [5] X Research source For the next stretch, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ground. Keeping your back on the ground and your legs bent, slowly lower your knees to the ground on your right. Move your legs back into a neutral position. Repeat the stretch on the left side. [6] X Research source
Lie flat on your stomach, arms extended forward and legs extended behind you.
Slowly bend your knees and raise your feet until your legs are bent upward behind you.
Lift your chest and raise yourself up on your elbows. You should be lying on your stomach, resting on your elbows with your legs bent upward at the knee.
Lift your chest and draw yourself up onto your hands. Slowly arch your back and reach your head backward as far as you can.
Draw your feet forward and upward towards your head. Arch your back and extend your head behind you until you feel your feet touch your head.
Reach behind you and grab a hold of your raised foot.
If you feel any pain or discomfort at this point, stop. Going further could result in strain or other injury.
This will require good balance to accomplish. If you’re having trouble maintaining your balance, do some balancing exercises before trying again.
Touching your feet to your head from a handstand position is a very advanced technique that you should only attempt if you have advanced levels of strength, flexibility, and balance. [10] X Research source Alternatively, a less demanding strategy is to start on your hands and knees close to and facing a wall, then lower yourself onto both forearms. [11] X Research source
You’ll be in a modified handstand position, with your feet in the air and your weight resting on your forearm and on your other hand. Alternatively, you can do this next to a wall so that when you kick your feet over your head, your feet will hit the wall, helping you keep your balance. You’ll be in forearm-stand position with your feet above you, resting on the wall. [13] X Research source
Arch your back and gradually lower your feet until you feel them touch your head. You can pull your head back slightly to meet them. Alternatively, you can use a wall as a brace while you slowly lower your feet towards your head. [15] X Research source Bear in mind that this is an extremely advanced position that takes a great deal of practice to accomplish. [16] X Research source
