Unlock the foundation of balance and control with this 10-step headstand sequence established by Carl Paoli. This post breaks the headstand down into clear, simple steps so anyone can learn safely, build confidence, and improve body awareness. You’ll learn how to set your hands, place your head, engage your core, lift your hips, find your balance point, and reverse the movement smoothly.

• It´s perfect for beginners.
• It builds strength, balance & coordination.
• It boosts body control and confidence.he

Practice this sequence slowly for quality, not speed. 10 clean repetitions will give you the foundation to progress to more advanced inversions.

This is a super simple sequence that Carl Paoli wants you to do 10 times. This is not for time. This is for quality. So you move through it slowly. This is what the sequence looks like.

First thing you’re going to bring an ab mat out, a yoga mat… Anything that’s soft enough where you feel safe to put your head down.

1. From here, what we’re going to do is we’re going to go from a kneeling position with our toes pointed in the back. Our hands are going to go on the ground, but as we reach for the ground, we’re going to flip them around so our fingers are pointing towards our knees or towards our toes. That would be position #1.
2. Position #2, head goes to the ground.
3. Position #3, flip your hands around.
4. Position #4, lift your hips up.
5. Position #5, walk your feet all the way in or as close as you can without rolling forward.
6. Position #6, one knee goes on the other elbow, the other knee goes on the opposite elbow.
7. Position #7 would be pick up one foot, and pick up the other foot.
8. From here, position #8 would be knees and hips up.
9. Position #9 would be bring your knees together.
10. Position #10 would be your headstand with your legs straight right over your base support.

And then from there, you would reverse it. Tuck down. Knees out. Knees come to your elbows. Place your feet on the ground. Walk your feet out. Kneel down. Flip your hands around. Press back up.

That sequence right there step by step. Performing it 10 times will get your brain thinking and you’ll be able to create not only one direction but also the mirror image. And that is the practice for today.

Bibliographic references:

• Carl Paoli. (2025). Learn the Headstand Safely — 10 Step Sequence [Video file]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/-yUeOe5f4po?si=VO9PnO5f1ry-ix-x