When it comes to choosing a new piece of fitness equipment, it is essential that you do your research and make sure you select the item that is most capable of providing the results you hope to achieve, based on your current circumstances.
This is particularly true of an item such as a headstand bench.
Not only will many people not know just how beneficial it can be to their health and fitness, but a large number also simply won’t have heard of it in the first place.
With that in mind, in today’s article, I will explain what a headstand bench is, how to use it, lay out the full range of benefits they can offer, and then provide some of the best options currently available, for people with a range of different needs.
So, if you have been thinking about purchasing a headstand bench but need just a little more information first, then this is the article for you.
What Is A Headstand Bench?
A headstand bench is a relatively compact piece of fitness equipment that resembles a portable chair-like structure.
They feature a dedicated place for your head, and support for your shoulders and hands, which helps you to balance and be more comfortable when doing a headstand.
Generally used during yoga sessions, the purpose of these benches is to reduce the amount of pressure placed on your shoulders and neck when you perform the headstand position, while also alleviating some of the pressure on your arms as well.
How Do You Use A Headstand Bench?
The headstand position is generally performed by putting all of your weight on your head and trying to support your body in a completely vertical, inverted position.
When performing the position using a headstand bench, you will instead place your head into an opening and place your shoulders on the supportive pads.
You then place your hands on the handles, or, if none are present, on the ends of the pads themselves.
Slowly begin to rotate your body forward, pushing your weight onto your shoulders, and then use your hands to continue pushing yourself upwards, until you are completely vertical.
Make sure not to do the movement too fast, or the momentum can make you tip over.
Similarly, whether using a bench or not, it is generally advised that you ensure there is a safe structure nearby, such as a wall, as this can be helpful if you start to lose your balance during a headstand.
When you have held the position for the desired length of time, use your arms to slowly lower yourself back down, until you have shifted the majority of your weight back onto your feet again.
The Benefits Of Using A Headstand Bench
Performing a headstand can provide a number of benefits to the health and fitness of a user.
This is primarily due to the fact that the process of performing a headstand helps to promote improved blood circulation, especially when they are performed while using a headstand bench.
They can effectively reduce the pressure on the arms, shoulders, and neck, assist in reducing pain and symptoms caused by various conditions throughout the entire body, and have even shown some benefits in helping to prevent hair loss.
Who Should Not Use A Headstand Bench?
While there are many benefits to performing headstands, there are also instances where it can be problematic and should be avoided.
For starters, people who suffer with chronic headaches or migraines and those with eye conditions such as glaucoma should avoid the headstand position at all costs.
This is due to the fact that the increased blood flow to the head area that the position causes will increase pressure, leading to a worsening of the pain and symptoms caused by these conditions, as well as potentially making the issues themselves even worse.
Women who are pregnant should also avoid performing the position. This is because a fall, which is increasingly likely, given the uneven weight displacement, could cause severe damage to both themselves and the baby.
Children under seven also generally shouldn’t perform headstands, as their skulls are softer and less developed, making the potential for injury much greater.
However, this may not be such an issue with headstand benches that move the weight from your head to your shoulders.
Finally, anyone with neck injuries or conditions should avoid performing a headstand without first speaking with a medical professional.
Doing so could cause compression and end up making your affliction substantially worse.
The Best Headstand Bench
Now that you have a full grasp of exactly what and who a headstand bench is for, I will now try and help you to pick the best one for you.
In the following section, we will look at 8 of the best headstand benches on the market today.
This should give you a good idea of what your options are and allow you to select the one that best matches your own wants and needs.
1. SISYAMA Inversion Bench Yoga Headstand Chair
The SISYAMA Inversion Bench Yoga Headstand Chair features an incredibly compact and foldable design, making it a perfect option for people who want to regularly travel and take it with them on the go, as well as those who have limited space in which to store it away after use.
Self-locking hooks make the bench incredibly easy to set up before each use.
A selection of included manuals also make sure you know what you are doing, while providing suggestions and instructions on various other poses the bench can be used for.
The longer, thicker, wider cushion provides increased stability, while also offering additional support and comfort for the user’s shoulders.It also features a pair of handles, allowing the user to advance from the headstand into a handstand as their skills progress.
The sleek, all-black design provides an element of style, while ensuring it is unlikely to clash with any of your furniture or other equipment.
The only downside is that, with a recommended retail price of $129.98, it is more expensive than many of the other headstand benches on the market.
Pros
- Easy to store away and take with you when you travel
- Included manuals make both assembly and use incredibly easy
- Longer, thicker, wider pads provide a greater level of comfort and stability
- Handles allow you to move from headstands to handstands as you progress
- Boasts a sleek, stylish, all-black design
Cons
- More expensive than other headstand benches
- Some complaints that there is a little more movement than with a solid unit
Best Headstand Bench For: Convenient Transport and Storage
User Reviews:
Longer, wider, thicker cushion guarantees stability and safety. If you are new to inversion poses, you'll need a lot of shoulder support to feel safe. Newly designed Self-Locking Hooks for quick fold-away storage.
2. KOKSRY Yoga Headstand Bench
The KOKSRY Yoga Headstand Bench is a foldable headstand bench that is a great option for storage or use on the go.
Its powerful metal frame quickly and easily hooks together before and after each use and is capable of supporting users weighing up to 440 pounds.
The solid material, design of the frame, and a powerful suction cup ensure maximum stability for the duration of your headstand.
Meanwhile, the larger pads provide additional support throughout the movement, while the shape offers a greater level of comfort.
The pads are also adjustable, and the headpiece can be completely removed. This allows the entire upper surface of the chair to be used outside of the headstand pose, making it ideal for handstands and other yoga positions.
The sleek, all-black design means the bench will suit all tastes and styles, while the recommended retail price of $99.99 is not cheap but keeps it roughly in line with a number of the other similar options on the market.
Pros
- Foldable for easy storage and transport
- Pads can be removed when performing different exercises
- Large pads and suction cup provide a great amount of stability
- Suitable for use by people up to 440 pounds
- Sleek, stylish design
Cons
- Slightly on the expensive side
Best Headstand Bench For: People weighing over 330 pounds
User Reviews:
- Foldable Yoga Inversion Chair
- Feet Up Trainer for Practice Head Stand
- Shoulder stand and Strength Training
3. Restrial Life Yoga Inversion Bench
The Restrial Life Yoga Inversion Bench is a multipurpose piece of equipment, which can be used for performing headstands, as well as a wide range of other different yoga positions.
Designed for both beginners and experienced practitioners alike, the bench is easy to assemble and get to grips with.
An incredibly sturdy and durable piece of equipment, the Restrial Life Yoga Inversion Bench is suitable for use by people weighing up to 330 pounds.
It also features non-slip pads on each of the feet, to ensure maximum stability throughout its use.
Made from a sustainably sourced wood and waterproof polyurethane coated cushioning, it offers a natural, environmentally friendly vibe that fits perfectly with the tranquil atmosphere which yoga has been created from.
The cushioning also comes in a wide selection of colours, to help it blend in perfectly with your own taste and décor.The range includes blue, black, dark black, green, maroon, red, violet, and white.
It boasts a recommended retail price which varies between $92.95 and $95.95, depending on the colour you choose.
This provides even better value when you realise the pad can be removed and used as a yoga block, essentially making the Restrial Life Yoga Inversion Bench two products in one.
Pros
- Made from ethical, sustainably sourced materials
- Available in a wide choice of colours
- Easy to use and assemble
- Can be used as both a headstand bench and a traditional yoga block, which allows it to provide assistance on a wide range of poses
- Waterproof, slip proof, and highly durable, with a maximum weight capacity of 330 pounds
Cons
- A little on the expensive side
Best Headstand Bench For: Versatility
User Reviews:
Headstand Bench for Home & Gym, Relieve Stress, Strengthen Core, Improve Sleep & Digestion.
- Stable & comfortable
- Perfect headstand trainer for beginners
4. FeetUp Trainer
The FeetUp Trainer is a beautifully designed headstand bench, made from sustainably sourced wood and available in a choice of colours.
These include a classic wood model with either black, white, or violet padding, as well as a model featuring chocolate wood and black padding.
Its ergonomic shape is ideal for providing maximum comfort and stability, which is furthered by the high quality materials used in the padding.
With a large poster containing instructions and pictures for more than 100 different fitness, relaxation, and yoga exercises, as well as an accompanying app, where you can find on demand workouts, among other things, it ensures you always have plenty of support to help you progress.
Unfortunately, with a recommended retail price of between $149.99 and $229.99, depending on the colour you choose, it is one of the more expensive options on the market.
Pros
- Critically acclaimed and high quality
- Ergonomically designed for maximum comfort and support
- Provides a great range of help with learning new exercises
- Available in a choice of colours
Cons
- Incredibly expensive
- Can’t be folded
Best Headstand Bench For: Interactive app support
User Reviews:
Including App - Headstand Bench Yoga Chair for Inversions and Relaxation - #1 in The World, Quality Made in Europe.
5. Evolution Health Bodylift Headstand Bench
The Evolution Health Bodylift Headstand Bench is made from incredibly strong, sturdy materials which, combined with its wide design, make it one of the most stable headstand benches on the market.
The width of the aperture where you place your head is also incredibly wide, which helps to improve the comfort and spread the pressure out evenly across your shoulders.
With a recommended retail price of $65, it is also one of the cheapest such products around, making it incredibly good value.
With a 10 year warranty on the entire frame and its manufacture, you can also have complete confidence in the longevity of your purchase.
Pros
- The wide base makes it incredibly stable
- The load is evenly spread out across your shoulders
- Incredibly affordable and good value
- 10 year warranty on frame and manufacture
Cons
- Limited padding
- Not overly aesthetically pleasing
Best Headstand Bench For: People on a budget
User Reviews:
The original Bodylift as seen on the Martha Stewart Show and The Doctors show.
- Relieves fluid buildup in the legs and feet
- Tones the abdominals and legs
- Increases the production of sex hormones
- Stimulates the nervous system
- Improves posture and strengthens the lungs
- May reverse the effects of sleep loss, lethargy, and memory loss
- Increases the glow of face and decreases the dark circles around the eyes by raising the blood flow to the brain
6. Wonder View Yoga Inversion Chair
Unlike most modern headstand benches, the WonderView Yoga Inversion Chair uses a frame with an “X” shaped designed.
This provides equal levels of support in all directions, while the reinforced bars from which it is made create maximum durability.
The design also boasts non-slip, polyurethane covered cushion pads, to ensure you are secure while using the bench.
The incredible thickness of said cushions also allows your shoulders to sink down into it, without touching the frame, making it very comfortable to use.
With two different versions available, featuring weight limits of 330 and 440 pounds, it also means you don’t have to spend money on a product for reinforcement that you are never going to need.
Pros
- X design provides support in all directions
- Thick cushions and non-slip PU covering offer great comfort and stability
- Available in two versions with differing weight limits
Cons
- Often out of stock and hard to obtain
Best Headstand Bench For: People who prefer an “X” frame design
User Reviews:
Yoga Inversion Bench Idea for Workout, Fitness and Gym.
- Provide safer when you doing a headstand. The one you should have in-home gym.
- With high-density PU cushion to make you quite comfortable when inversion.
7. PEXMOR Yoga Headstand Bench
The PEXMOR Yoga Headstand Bench boasts a sturdy design made from carbon steel, which is capable of supporting users weighing up to 440 pounds.
Meanwhile, its heavy duty suction cups ensure it doesn’t move an inch while in use, creating maximum stability.
Quick and easy to assemble, it boasts a completely foldable design, making it ideal for both storage and travel. It also features textured handles and solid foam padding, creating a great level of all round comfort.
However, what truly sets the PEXMOR Yoga Headstand Bench apart from similar products are the attached resistance bands.
Combined with the sturdy handles, this allows you to turn your headstand bench into a multi gym, which will help you to build strength from multiple angles.
Pros
- Attached resistance bands and handles allow you to work your whole body
- Supports users weighing up to 440 pounds
- Suction cups ensure it doesn’t move while in use
- Foam padding and textured handles provide maximum comfort
- Foldable for easy storage and transport
Cons
- Hard to obtain
Best Headstand Bench For: An all-round workout
User Reviews:
Foldable Inversion Chair with Stretch Bands and Handles, for Home Gym Yoga Studio.
- Ergonomically designed yoga inversion bench.
- Perfect for taking to the park, beach, or woods if you enjoy meditating in nature.
8. Aozora Balanced Body Yoga Headstand Bench
The Aozora Balanced Body Yoga Headstand Bench is an extremely sturdy and comfortable bench.
Its metal frame supports weights of up to 300 pounds, while its soft, thick cushioning provides optimal levels of comfort.
The wide aperture ensures all of your weight is completely supported by your shoulders, meaning the is no pressure at all on your neck.
Designed to be easily assembled and disassembled in just a few minutes, it can quickly be packed away when you need to store or transport it.
While its design is fairly basic and not much has been done to enhance its aesthetics, it is one of the cheapest options on the market, making it incredibly good value.
This is only furthered by the lifetime warranty included on every aspect of the product with each purchase.
Pros
- Very good value
- Warranty covers the life of the product
- Thick, comfortable cushioning
- Wide aperture
- Stable, sturdy design
Cons
- Basic, un-aesthetic design
- Often hard to get hold of
Best Headstand Bench For: Warranty for the life of the bench
User Reviews:
- Ideal Chair for Practice Head Stand, Shoulderstand, Handstand and Various Yoga Poses.
- Perfect for Both Beginner and Experience Yogis
Conclusion
That concludes our review of the best headstand benches currently on the market.
Hopefully, by this point you should be much clearer on exactly what a headstand bench does, how to use it, and which one you should choose to produce the best results, based on your own wants and needs.
While headstands do offer plenty of benefits, it is important to remember that they can be dangerous, so be careful if you are new to the activity.
Likewise, if you have any pre-existing medical concerns or conditions, make sure you speak to a doctor before you use one.
Otherwise, there should be nothing left stopping you from picking up your chosen bench, giving it a try for yourself, and looking forward to reaping the many rewards it can offer as soon as possible.
Dr. Ahmed Zayed holds a bachelor’s degree in medicine from Alexandria university and is a practicing plastic surgeon. He’s our expert on all things nutrition, medicine, rehabilitation, and flexibility. Dr.Ahmed has been a medical content writer for more than 11 years and his work reached top publications such as the HuffingtonPost