YanvaYoga > Yoga Poses > Wheel Pose

Wheel Pose - Chakrasana

02.11.202209.03.2023

Wheel Pose or Chakrasana (Sanskrit chakra means wheel, and asana – posture), is also called Full Wheel Pose and Upward-Facing Bow Pose. You may also find this pose in Sanskrit as Urdhva Dhanurasana. It’s a back-bending posture that helps to open up your chest and tone your thighs, abdomen, and arms. Practicing it will engage your entire body. As a heart-opening stretch, this pose helps release sadness and depression.

Pose Detail

Body Position: Arm & Leg Support, Backbend Yoga Poses
By Type: Chest Opening Yoga Poses, Flexibility Yoga Poses, Shoulder Opening Yoga Poses
Difficulty: Intermediate

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Lie on your back and bend your elbows, raising your arms up over your head to tuck your palms under your shoulders and press the palms into the mat. Make sure the hands are no more than shoulder-width apart.

Step 2

Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the floor. Slide your heels as close to your buttocks as possible. Your feet should be hip-width apart from each other. Feet, ankles, and knees parallel to each other.

Step 3

On an exhalation, tuck your tailbone in. Then push your heels and hands hard into the floor to lift up your torso and place the crown of your head on the floor. Tuck your shoulder blades into your back and keep your forearms perpendicular to the floor.

Step 4

On your next exhalation, push harder with your heels and hands to lift your head off of the floor with your weight entirely on your hands and feet. Open your armpits and stretch your shoulders to straighten your arms. Push your tailbone as high up into your pelvis as you can.

Step 5

Push with your soles trying to straighten your legs, and open your chest as much as you can.

Step 6

Hold the position for 10-50 seconds, breathing normally, then release the pose by slowly lowering the body back down to the mat.

Benefits and Contraindications

Benefits

Lengthens the hip flexors and strengthens the hamstrings

Strengthens the spine extensors, arms, legs, and abdomen

Helps relieve ailments of the reproductive organs

Boosts energy levels

Helps improve blood circulation to the entire body

Creates space in the ribcage and diaphragm helping you breathe fully

Contraindications

Cervical spine, shoulder or lower back pathologies

Ankle, knee, hip, or wrist injury

High blood pressure

Diarrhea or constipation

Cardiac conditions such as ischemia

Photo poses in different angles

Modifications, Props & Tips

Work on Bridge pose and shoulder mobility poses to help prepare for the front body opening.
To prevent your knees and feet from splaying out to the sides, pay particular attention to your inner thighs, engaging them to rotate your thighs inwards, thereby stabilizing your knees.
Work on your shoulders mobility using the yoga strap.