These two questions are intrinsically related.

A common misconception is that headbouncing is simply standing under the ball as it bounces off the skull. This is not the case.

The ball travels 6-8 inches vertically, driven by the force of your knees and feet. It does not simply rebound – each bounce is a conscious placement of the ball into the air.

I like to think of the ball being thrown by the head – it’s that kind of deliberate action, where you are aware of the object’s future trajectory as it makes impact with your head. That might sound insane at first (…and I get it, your third eye is covered up – not a great time to get esoteric!) but that’s something to meditate on.

The ball should be inflated so it has some give to it. You are exerting the force onto the ball to make it bounce. If the ball is overinflated (so the ball has a very strong natural rebound,) it will be more sensitive to the curvature of your forehead so it glances off at an angle more easily. If it’s underinflated (so the ball has virtually no natural rebound,) you’ll have to practically jump to get it to go anywhere.

Experiment with different inflations and see what works for you – eventually, you’ll know the best inflation for you just by feel. If you were to drop the ball I use on the ground, it would rebound around 60%.