Yoga Pose of the Week: Wheel Pose

March 30, 2019

Wheel pose

This week's asana is wheel pose. I have to admit it is in my top 5 favorite poses. Personally, it feels amazing on my spine, shoulders, chest, and hip flexors. This pose can be intimidating for some because of fear. While for others flexibility in the shoulders and upper spine, as well as not enough strength in the upper body, can make this challenging. With practice, fears can be conquered, in addition to flexibility and strength expanding.

Sanskrit Name

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Step-By-Step:

Lie on your back with the soles of your feet on the floor, close to your sitting bones, feet hip-width apart and parallel to the sides of the mat. Place your hands on the floor just above your shoulders with fingers spread wide, fingertips pointing towards your shoulders.
Take a moment to set your foundation. Root all four corners of your feet evenly. Activate your inner thighs so that they are energetically moving towards each other, but maintain hip-width distance. Send your arm bones (humerus) into their sockets so that you feel your shoulder blades come on to your back. Your elbows are energetically moving towards one another but remain shoulder width distance.
Press evenly into your feet and lift your hips and lower back off the mat, coming into a baby bridge. Pause. Press into your palms evenly and lift your upper torso off the mat, bringing the crown of your head to lightly touch on the mat.
Reset your foundation (inner thighs and inner upper arms drawing towards each other, firmly rooting hands and feet) and press into your palms once again to straighten the arms and lift your head off the floor.
Let the neck be long, relaxing with gravity. Breathe.
To come out of the pose, slowly begin to bend the arms and legs, tuck the chin towards the chest, and lower your spine to the earth.