Urdhva Dhanurasana- Wheel, or Upward Facing Bow
This asana has many wonderful benefits, including stretching the chest and lungs, strengthening the arms, legs and spine, opening the hips and thighs, stimulating the thyroid gland, and increasing energy. However, it is a challenging backbend that beginners should approach with caution. Here are a few tips to help you find alignment and strength in Urdhva Dhanurasana.
1. Warm up first! Never try to bring yourself into a challenging pose without giving your body a chance to properly stretch and prepare. Before trying a more advanced backbend like Wheel, bring flexibility to the spine through the Cat-Cow sequence as well as a few backbends, such as Locust or Bridge.
2. Be conscious of your alignment. To safely get into Wheel, begin by lying supine on your mat. Bend the knees to bring the heels close to the sitting bones, feet hip width apart. Bend your elbows and place the hands on the mat next to your ears, fingers pointing down towards your feet. The forearms should be perpendicular to the floor. Inhale, press the hands and feet firmly down into the floor, and lift the hips, back, and head up off the mat. Keep the knees and feet from splaying out to the sides, which can compress the lower back. Take a few deep breaths, starting out with staying in the pose for 5-10 seconds and then gradually work up to longer periods of time.
3. It may just not be for you. The best way to ensure your safety in yoga is to LISTEN to what your body is telling you. If you are not physically ready to take on a challenging pose like the Wheel, prematurely forcing your body into the pose is harmful and dangerous. Have patience with yourself, and start out by practicing more passive backbends to properly prepare your body to take on the pose.
4. Beginner tips: place a block in between your feet and press the inner edges of the feet into the block to keep the feet parallel. You can also loop a strap around your thighs just above your knees to keep the legs hip width apart and parallel. If the inner arms are tight, you can place two blocks under your hands to help you get a little more height in your backbend- but make sure that the blocks are braced against the wall.
5. To deepen the pose, carefully walk the feet in closer to the hands. Lift the tailbone towards the sky. You can also challenge yourself by lifting one leg at a time straight up into the air.
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