When you first start practicing yoga inversions, the journey is honestly all that you make it out to be. You're probably not going to nail a handstand overnight, so you can either beat yourself up for taking longer than you expected to get upside down, or you can have lots of fun when you stumble and fall, and learn a ton about yourself in the process. Regardless of your approach, gathering some songs for yoga inversions will inspire confidence in your practice and help you feel comfortable and carefree while you flip your perspective.
I have to say, as a yoga teacher, making a playlist for my classes is always a blast. Each song totally sets the tone for the flow, and I love when students come up to me and ask about my music so they can have some of their own inspo when they roll out their mats at home.
When I'm carefully selecting songs for the inversion portion of my classes, or just for when I'm getting upside down on my own at home, I love choosing upbeat, feel-good music that will put a smile on my face and get me super pumped to flip upside down.
Regardless of the exact inversion you're working on, these songs are sure to be an excellent complement to your practice — and if you fall, these beats will motivate you to get back up and try, try again, girl.
01"Lights Down Low" By MAX
TBH, this is my go-to inversion song, and it never gets old. Whether I'm practicing handstand, headstand, or forearm stand, I can always be assured that MAX has got me covered with all the feel-good vibes that "Lights Down Low" brings to my practice.
02"Higher Ground" By ODESZA
I mean, you're technically hitting ~higher ground~ by throwing your legs up over your head in an inversion, so the name of this song is pretty freaking fitting, right?
ODESZA is the cherry on top of many of my favorite yoga playlists, and "Higher Ground" is perfect for when it comes time to practice inversions.
03"Sober Up" By AJR
I'm pretty sure you'd find AJR's "Sober Up" in the dictionary next to the word "joy," because this song literally never fails to plaster a goofy smile across my or my students' faces. The beats make you feel like a kid again as you throw fear out the window and invert to your heart's content.
04"Unforgettable" By French Montana
I love jammin' to some French Montana when I'm practicing handstands against a wall. Don't ask me why, but even when I hear "Unforgettable" outside the yoga studio, it always makes me want to kick up into a strong, empowering handstand, and keep practicing until I'm panting, sweaty AF, and satisfied, regardless of where I actually am.
Seriously, just try it — you'll know what I mean soon enough.
05"Ride Wit Me" By Nelly
Ah, throwbacks. IMHO, they never fail to perk you up, get you going, and inspire you to try something brand new.
If you've never inverted before, blast some Nelly and take a risk, girl. Always remember, though, to stay safe, never push your body past its natural limits, and have a spotter in the room if you feel like you need one.
06"What's Luv?" By Fat Joe Ft. Ashanti
This jam is yet another throwback that always seems to creep its way into my inversion practice.
I can't quite put my finger on why I love listening to this song so much during yoga, of all things, but what I do know is that it never fails to make me feel like a total badass. It gives me the stamina to flip my body upside down over and over again, no matter how many times I fall flat on my butt.
07"Delicate" By Taylor Swift
If you're a little more advanced in your inversion practice, "Delicate" by Taylor Swift is where it's at, friends.
The smooth elegance of the song will make your movements feel fluid and graceful as you add those difficult, curvaceous backbends to your arm balances. Seriously, even if you don't consider yourself a Swift fan, give this one a try.
08"FRIENDS" By Marshmello And Anne-Marie
If you're already comfortable in your headstand, and you want to try adding some leg variations or core work, put on some Marshmello and get to it, girl. The beat will pump you up, and your abs will be on fire, in the best way possible.
09"The Middle" By Zedd
This song is especially great for transitioning from a sweaty vinyasa flow you're already immersed in, straight into inversions. For example, if you're practicing some handstand kicks in between your chaturangas, jamming out to "The Middle" during your practice is an absolute must.
10"Makeba" By Jain
I only discovered this song recently, and ever since I found it, I've honestly wondered how I've gotten through the many, more-frustrating days I have from time to time on the mat.
Jain's "Makeba" will help you feel comfortable and level-headed enough to laugh at yourself when you tumble over during an inversion, so you can get right back up and try it all again. After all, yogis, that's the true joy of the journey.