BENEFITS
- Increases spinal flexibility
- Stretches the shoulders
- Stimulates the thyroid gland
- Massages the internal organs
- Boosts immunity
- Relieves stress and fatigue
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Pregnancy
- High blood pressure
- Serious back problems
- Hernia
- Sciatica
- Diarrhea
- Asthma
- Neck injury
- Glaucoma
HOW TO
- Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body, palms facing down. Inhale and use momentum to reach your feet toward the sky.
- Support your lower back with your hands. Press your palms into the back of your torso to straighten the spine, and press your upper arms into the ground.
- Exhale and slowly lower your toes toward the floor, beyond your head.
- Release your hands from your lower back and interlace your fingers on the floor. Squeeze your shoulders together and tuck them underneath you.
- Stay in Plow pose for up to five minutes. To release, unclasp your hands and place the palms flat on the floor. Keeping your chin tucked into your chest, exhale and slowly roll all the way down to the floor.
MODIFY OR REPLACE
Alternatives:
Modifications:
- Keep your hands on your back if your feet don’t reach the ground.
- Widen your feet to release tension in the hamstrings.
- Practice with your feet against a wall, and slowly walk your feet down the wall.
SEQUENCING TIPS
Before:
After:
TEACHING CUES
- Breathe shallow breaths into the throat.
- Try to straighten the legs.
VARIATIONS
- Reach your arms overhead, and hook your big toes with your thumbs and forefingers.
- Enter the pose from Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand).
WATCH OUT FOR
- Turning the head while in the pose
- Releasing the hands to the ground, if the feet are not touching the floor