How to Make Your Feet Touch Your Head

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Touching your feet to your head may not be the most natural thing in the world, but it is possible if you have enough flexibility . If, for whatever reason, you find yourself compelled to try to touch your head with your feet, the steps that follow will help you accomplish it.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Stretching

PDF download Download Article
  1. Warm your muscles up with some brief cardio like running, jumping rope, or doing jumping jacks. [1]
    • It’s important to warm up your muscles before stretching to avoid strain and potential injury.
    • You'll get more of a stretch if you warm up prior, because the added blood flow to the muscles will help them naturally loosen up a bit.
  2. Before trying to touch your feet to your head, stretch your hamstrings to avoid straining them. [2]
    • 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]
    Advertisement
  3. Begin by sitting on the ground with your legs extended in front of you. [4]
    • 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.
  4. Warm up your back with some gentle stretches so you don’t strain it.
    • 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]
    • 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]
    5. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Touching Your Feet to Your Head from Laying Position

PDF download Download Article
  1. After stretching your back and legs, you can begin the process of touching your feet to your head. [7]
    • Lie flat on your stomach, arms extended forward and legs extended behind you.
  2. Do this step slowly and gently--don’t rush.
    • Slowly bend your knees and raise your feet until your legs are bent upward behind you.
  3. Again, perform this movement slowly. If you feel any pain, stop immediately.
    • 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.
  4. At this point, only go as far as you comfortably can. If you begin to feel pain or strain, stop immediately and gently return to a neutral resting position.
    • Lift your chest and draw yourself up onto your hands.
    • Slowly arch your back and reach your head backward as far as you can.
  5. Don’t force your body to go any further than it’s capable of or comfortable with or you could injure yourself.
    • 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.
    6. Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Touching Your Feet to Your Head from Standing Position

PDF download Download Article
  1. Start in a standing position, then bend one leg behind you while balancing on the other. [8]
    • Reach behind you and grab a hold of your raised foot.
  2. While grasping your raised foot, arch your back and begin gently pulling your foot towards your head. [9]
    • If you feel any pain or discomfort at this point, stop. Going further could result in strain or other injury.
  3. While pulling your foot towards your head, continue arching your back. Pull your head back until you feel it touch your foot.
    • This will require good balance to accomplish. If you’re having trouble maintaining your balance, do some balancing exercises before trying again.
    4. Advertisement
Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Touching Your Feet to Your Head from Handstand Position

PDF download Download Article
  1. From that position, place one forearm flat on the ground. Adjust the position of the other hand by moving it back until the heel of your hand is directly across from where the elbow of your opposite arm is resting.
    • 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]
    • 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]
  2. Kick your feet up above your head until you can find your balance. [12]
    • 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]
  3. Once you’ve found your balance in the modified handstand position, bend your legs at the knee so that your feet begin moving towards your head. [14]
    • 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]
    • Bear in mind that this is an extremely advanced position that takes a great deal of practice to accomplish. [16]
    4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    I'm a gymnast who gets made fun of for not being able to touch my head with my feet, what should I do?
    Community Answer
    I can't do it either, so don't worry. First, tell whoever is making fun of you to mind their own business, or get a coach or other adult involved. Second, stretch at home. Work on bridges, backbends, or any other back stretch you can think of.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 14 Helpful 73
  • Question
    How can I get really flexible?
    Community Answer
    Try yoga. It is the perfect discipline for stretching your muscles and strengthening your balance and flexibility.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 22 Helpful 58
  • Question
    How can I get my toes to touch really well?
    Community Answer
    You could lay down on your belly on the floor bed etc and bend back and stretch your legs.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 26 Helpful 32
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • You can practice handstands by kicking your legs up against a wall, gently pushing off with your foot, and seeing how long you can hold that position.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Point your toes, open your fingers and look at the ground while doing a handstand.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Become Flexible
      How to
      Do Gymnastics
      How to
      Do a Back Walkover
      How to
      Do a Split (with Exercises for Building Flexibility)
      How to
      Do a Backflip
      How to
      Do a Cartwheel
      How to
      Do a Back Handspring
      How to
      Do a Backbend
      2 Ways to Do a Headstand
      How to
      Do an Aerial Cartwheel
      How to
      Learn to Do a Front Walkover in 1 Day
      How to
      Do a Handstand
      How to
      Learn Gymnastics for Beginners at Home: Stretching, Safety & More
      How to
      Planche
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about stretching, check out our in-depth interview with Laila Ajani .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtYfD_3Y0B8
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAh1f3N__-4
      3. ↑ http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/stretching/10-stretches-for-your-back#hMJvAJhI1QOgBIXX.97
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAh1f3N__-4
      5. ↑ http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/stretching/10-stretches-for-your-back#hMJvAJhI1QOgBIXX.97
      6. ↑ http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/stretching/10-stretches-for-your-back?slide=8#bXLSIdqo3AwA02EE.97
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAh1f3N__-4
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtYfD_3Y0B8
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtYfD_3Y0B8
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHJmps-aXs
      2. ↑ http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/touch-head-toes-yoga-5500.html
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHJmps-aXs
      4. ↑ http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/touch-head-toes-yoga-5500.html
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHJmps-aXs
      6. ↑ http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/touch-head-toes-yoga-5500.html
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHJmps-aXs

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you stretch and work on increasing your flexibility, eventually you’ll be able to make your feet touch your head. Always warm up with some running or jumping jacks before you stretch so you don’t pull a muscle. Then, focus on stretching your hamstrings, inner thighs, and back. Once you’re stretched out, lie down on your stomach with your arms and legs extended. Slowly bend your knees and raise your legs. Then, raise your chest and arch your back until you can touch your feet to your head. If at any point you feel pain, stop, and try again another time. To learn how to touch your feet to your head while standing, read on!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 167,210 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Aishat Ajakaye

        Jan 22, 2017

        "I practiced it more and more, and I failed in making my feet touch my head the first time. Through practicing ..." more
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement