headstand

[Shaolin Dude]

is it necessary to put your head on the ground?

[Mo Lung]

Not if you can levitate. Otherwise yes.

It's called a headstand, after all.

[anerlich]

Pretty much what Mo Lung said.

You can stand on your hands or forearms without your head, but then you are doing a handstand or forearm stand.

[fa_jing]

Well dunno if this is what you mean, but I do prefer one of the Yoga variations to the headstand where only the front part of the top of your head touches the ground - the hands are cupped under the back of the head and most of the weight is one the forearms, with the elbows splayed apart.

[FngSaiYuk]

I'm assuming your asking because of one of 3 things-

1) Your workout area is unpleasant to place your head upon.
So cover up your workout area or find some other area to train in.

2) Your head hurts because it's not yet conditioned against the hardness of the surface you're training on.
Get a towel to cushion yourself for now (fold it and as you're conditioned, unfold and eventually remove) or train in a carpetted or padded area until your head is conditioned.

3) Your neck hurts because it's not strong enough to support your weight yet.
Modify the headstand by supporting yourself with your forearms first, then your hands until your neck is strong enough. Do this by resting your forearms on the ground, clasping your hands together so that your arms make a 90 degree angle. Then place your head where your hands are clasped together and get into the handstand position while aided by the support of your forearms. Eventually move to just using your hands to support yourself a bit until you can do a full headstand.

[GeneChing]

A 2 hour headstand is brutal. A 10 minute headstand is brutal.

Students made to do headstand for two hours in Zaheerabad of Andhra Pradesh
By Express News Service | Published: 09th January 2018 01:36 AM
Last Updated: 09th January 2018 10:12 AM

HYDERABAD: IN a shocking case of corporal punishment, two Class-VII students of an ST hostel in Zaheerabad were made to do a headstand for two hours and beaten up with a plastic pipe by their warden. The incident that happened on Sunday came to light a day later after a video clip of the incident went viral.

Taking cognisance of the petitions filed by child rights activists, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has issued a notice to the Sangareddy District Education Officer to submit a report on the issue by February 26. In the meantime, Sangareddy District Collector, Manickaraj Kannan, has issued directions for suspension of the warden.

The two students, Lakshman and Parshuram, are said to have frequently missed school and fight with each other. Irked by another fight they got into on Sunday, the warden punished them by making them do a handstand and beating them up each time either of them put their feet down.

“It is a cruel act and not a way to discipline young children. As it is they are from underprivileged background. By beating them up, they are not just scarring these two but the other 150 students who were present there,” said Achyuta Rao, president of Balala Hakula Sangham.