In addition to the artistic and spiritual benefits some people experience from yoga, poses like the Leg Behind Head Pose ... like the shoulder stand and headstand (below) may be too extreme ...

Welcome to day 21 of the month-long Houston Chronicle Yoga Challenge ... continue sliding your right leg forward. This will straighten out your left leg, and the split will come naturally.

Malaika performed a beginner variation of Sirsasna, which entails supporting your body on your head, cupped by your arms and your legs tucked in. To perfect the Supported Headstand pose ...

To make these muscles robust and ready for action, you need single-leg exercises in your workouts. One of the best to add to your program: the Bulgarian split squat ... a pad or yoga block ...