Inverted Pose Asanas

Adhomukhaswanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

Etymology

The pose’s resemblance to how a dog stretches before rising up. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words adhas, mukha, svana, and asana, which represent “”down,” “face,” “dog,”  “face”, “posture” respectively.

Instructions

  • Start in the kneeling position known as vajrasana, and then put your palms on the floor in front of you.
  • Slowly straighten it out by raising your knees. The body’s weight is now supported by the two palms, the feet, and the straightened legs.
  • While maintaining a straight spine, tuck your belly in and push your chest or upper body gently toward the floor or lower body.
  • Make sure the heels are firmly planted on the ground. The hamstring muscles receive a decent stretch as a result.
  • Return to the kneeling position to release the pose, then slowly transition into Vajrasana by relaxing your arms and back..

 Benefits

  • An inverted position is AdhoMukhaSvanasana. Blood flow to the head and upper chest region is reversed. It can ease headaches and migraines while providing the brain with a healthy supply of blood. It can enhance mental acuity and other mental processes.
  • Both the spine and the muscles in the legs get a decent stretch from it.
  • The hamstring muscles can be loosened to increase flexibility. During the workout, be sure the heels are on the ground. The hamstring muscles are stretched by it.
  • This Asana strengthens the shoulders and arms.
  • It can lift stress and anxiety. It is also regarded as a nice stance for relaxation.
  • Among the inverted positions, AdhoMukhaSvanasana is one of the simplest. This straightforward inverted asana offers similar advantages for those who are unable to perform the more challenging inverted poses like the head stand and the shoulder stand.

Limitations

  • Avoid practising Downward Facing Dog if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, fragile eye capillaries, a detached retina, or any other eye or ear infection or irritation.
  • Those who have recent or ongoing inflammation/injury in their arms, wrists, shoulders, back, hips, knees, legs, or ankles should postpone practising the posture until they are fully recovered.

Variations

  • If you have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or sensitive wrists, you might want to try holding onto a rolled towel underneath your palms in this position.
  • To prevent putting strain on the wrists and hands in this posture, you can also enter Dolphin Pose and place the elbows and forearms on the ground instead of the palms.
  • Making sure that our legs are straight and once we are comfortable, slowly lower the heel firmly to the ground. Beginners should place Drishti at the toes, while advanced practitioners should progress to the region of the navel.

Preparatory Poses

  • Sasankasana
  • Marjarasana
  • Parvathasana

Follow Up Poses

Eka Pada AdhoMukhaSvanasana – One Legged Downward Facing Dog Pose

Etymology

The pose’s resemblance to how a dog extends when standing on one leg before getting up. The name in Sanskrit is derived from Eka Pada, which means “one feet,” adhas, which means “down,” mukha, which means “face,” svana, which means “dog,” and asana, which means “posture”.

Instructions

  • Beginning with the straightforward AdhoMukhaSvanasana (Link) Following this, we perform the Eka Pada AdhoMukhaSvanasana, which entails lifting one leg upward.
  • Lean forward and lift your right leg high in the air. Align the right leg as closely as possible to the spine. The last position is here. For at least five breaths, stay in this posture.
  • Return to the straightforward downward-facing dog position to release the posture by lowering the right leg to the floor.
  • With the left leg extended, repeat the same movement.

Benefits

  • As Eka Pada AdhoMukhaSvanasana is a inverted posture, Blood flows to the head and upper chest in the opposite direction, providing the brain with enough of blood nutrition. Cognitive performance and other mental processes can be enhanced by this position.
  • The quadriceps, hamstrings, and leg muscles are all given a nice stretch.
  • For greater flexibility, it is beneficial to release the hip flexor and hamstring muscles.
  • Strengthening the shoulders and arms occurs in Eka Pada AdhoMukhaSvanasana.
  • As Eka Pada AdhoMukhaSvanasana is also a pose for balance. The body’s sense of balance can be enhanced by holding this position for about a minute.

Limitations

  • Eka Pada AdhoMukhaSvanasana is an inverted pose that should not be performed by anyone with excessive blood pressure.
  • If you have vertigo, use caution when performing this position.
  • also adheres to Adhomukhaswanasana’s restrictions (Link of adhomukha)Variations

Preparatory Poses

  • Sasankasana
  • Marjarasana
  • Parvathasana
  • AdhoMukhasvanasana

Follow Up Poses

Halasana – The Plough Pose

Etymology

The Sanskrit term “hala,” which means “plough,” is the source of the Plough Pose, or Halasana. The reason for the name is that the final stance resembles the agricultural tool known as the plough.

Instructions

  • Start by resting on your back in the supine posture.
  • Breathe regularly and unhurriedly relax. The hands should remain close to the torso and the legs should remain together.
  • Hold your breath while raising your legs gradually to the vertical position. To accomplish this, solely use your stomach and waist muscles. Don’t elevate your legs with your arms.
  • Legs should be pushed as far back as feasible. At this point, one can hold the lower back with their hands and push their waist and torso forward until their legs are parallel to the ground.
  • Legs should be moved as far away from the head as feasible. At this point, a chin lock is achieved. It exerts pressure on the thyroid glands.
  • Depending on how comfortable it is for you, hold this posture for a short while up to several minutes.
  • Return to the standard supine position. Breathe regularly and let all of your muscles relax.
  • Any backward bending asana (such as ushtrasana, suptavajrasana, chakrasana, etc.) can be performed as a counter position after this asana.

Benefits

  • It facilitates the loss of belly fat.
  • It enhances the health of the abdominal organs, notably the intestines, kidneys, and pancreas, by stretching them. Patients with diabetes will benefit from this.
  • The chin lock strains the thyroid organs and regulates metabolic rate.
  • Halasana helps ease constipation, piles, and poor digestion.

Limitations

  • Halasana should not be performed if you have a slip disc, severe back or neck discomfort, a hernia, sciatica, an enlarged thyroid, spleen, or liver, cervical issues, heart diseases, or a history of headaches.
  • Halasana should not be performed if pregnant or during the menstruation periods.

Preparatory Pose

  • Pawanamukthasana
  • Uthanapadasana
  • sarvangasana

Followup Pose

NiralambaSirsasana – Unsupported Head Stand

Etymology

Nira, which means “without,” lamba, “support,” sirsa means head and asana, which means “posture” or “position,” are the root words of the name. In the headstand version known as niralambasirsasana, none of the body weight is supported by the arms or hands.

Instructions

  • To do NiralambaSirsasana, one must first master SalambaSirsasana, also known as the supported head stand. The steps to achieve this pose are the same as those for SalambaSirsasana, with the exception that at the very end, the hands are relocated such that the entire body weight is supported by the head. Much caution is needed throughout this transition. One method is to carefully glide the hands forward on the floor in front of the body, which aids with balance even when no weight is supported. The hands can even be taken off the floor and placed adjacent to the legs or thighs by advanced practitioners. Great talent and balance are needed for this. In the beginning, you may also use a wall as support.
  • Initially, only a few seconds should be spent in the ultimate position. Later, it can be raised in accordance with one’s aptitude and competence.
  • Bring the hands back to the floor, near to the head as in SalambaSirsasana, to release the pose. Before descending, the hands balance the body by supporting a portion of the weight. Return to the initial Marjariasana position by descending gradually. Tadasana is an optional pose that might assist in returning extra blood from the head to the body. Spend a few minutes in Shavasana, a resting position.

 Benefits

  • The advantages are same to those of Sirsasana.
  • NiralambaSirsasana offers a wonderful sense of equilibrium.

Limitations

Preparatory Pose

  • Sirsasana
  • Halasana
  • Sarvangasana
  • Supported Headstand

Followup Pose