and in to keep your body in one straight line.
Side Plank
Press your left hand firmly against the floor and roll to the outside edge of your left foot, stacking your right ankle, hip, and shoulder on top of your left ankle, hip, and shoulder. Reach straight up with your right arm and look up toward your hand.
Plank Forearm
Get into a plank pose resting on your forearms.
Extend forward through the top of your head and reach back through your heels.
Keep your stomach strong and your body in one straight line.
Plank Split
Lift your left leg and bring your body forward so your shoulders stack on top of your wrists.
Crow
Bend at the waist and place your hands on the floor. Walk your feet up to your hands. Bend your knees slightly and place your knees in your armpits. Bring your feet together and come into a squat. Lean toward and rest your hands on the floor. Lean your shoulders gently forward beyond your wrists. Try lifting one foot just off the floor, then the other. Then rest all your weight on your hands and try lifting both feet off the floor.
Lift your hips and belly.
If you’re not comfortable balancing in crow, rest your toes on the floor.
BE WHERE YOU ARE
If you are unable to lift your feet off the floor in crow pose, that’s completely fine. You’ll build strength by pressing the floor away and lifting up in your hips and stomach. Eventually, with practice, you will be able to come into crow, and when you do, you’ll find yet another pose to master. There will always be another pose learn, so don’t worry about it and just be present where you are.
Side Crow
Bring your toes back to the floor, then swivel your knees to the right. Press your left thigh on the back of your right upper arm. Lean your shoulders out past your thighs and carefully try lifting your toes off the floor.
If you have trouble balancing in side crow, let your feet rest on the floor.
Half Crow Lift
From crow, lift your hips and bring your right knee to the outside of your right shoulder.
Knee to Forehead
Lift your hips and bring your right knee to your forehead. Roll your upper back forward.
Knee Cross Lift
Bend your elbows and bring your right knee across to the back of your left upper arm. Roll onto the inner edges of the toes of your left foot.
INVERSIONS
Inversion poses build body awareness, strength, balance, and coordination. They are used to stimulate the entire body and mind. Inversions are usually practiced after warming up the body with standing and seated poses.
Proper alignment is everything in a headstand. You can’t fake it with this one. Practice the moves that strengthen and open you until you can get your hips directly above your shoulders. Once you’re comfortable and have your alignment down, you can start to move into a full head-stand. Give your full attention to all the steps along the way–it’s hard work, but you’ll be rewarded for not rushing.
Headstand Sock Slide
Put on a pair of socks. I know, unusual for yoga, but this is a fun one that builds strength, too!
Kneel on the floor facing your mat. Lace your fingers together and place your forearms on the floor, keeping your elbows shoulder-width apart. Place the top of your head on the mat so the palms of your hands are cradling the back of your head. Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs [A] . Engage your abs, pulling your belly in, and slide your feet toward your head until your hips are above your shoulders [B] .
TIP:
Even if you are brand new to headstand, this position is a nonscary introduction. Make sure the very top of your head is on the floor. Often when people are new to headstand, they place their foreheads or the backs of their heads on the floor
TIP:
Fold your yoga mat in half to make it a little thicker for your head. You can also use a rug for this one.
TIP:
This movement strengthens your core and works toward getting your hips on top of your shoulders. This helps with the alignment,
Aziz Ansari, Eric Klinenberg