admin Looking at yogis’ or yoginis’ websites and Instagram accounts can lead viewers to believe yogis spend more time upside down than with their butts planted on the earth. Why do so many yogis love going upside down?
Yoga inversions are more than just a cool picture. They can have many benefits, from strengthening the diaphragm and stimulating hair growth. It can be a little scary to go upside down at first. Suppose you are new to yoga. Try the free 30-Day Yoga Challenge to help you get used to being upside down. You will soon gain confidence and become accustomed to an upside-down perspective.
This is a list of the top 10 inversions.
Uttanasana – Forward Fold Pose
Yoga classes all over the world include forward folds, in part because they are part of Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation Sequence.
Forward folding can be beneficial for a number of reasons, including relieving stomach pain, strengthening the internal organs, stretching your spine, and calming a stressed mind.
Practice tip: Shift the weight to the front of the foot to lift the hips parallel to the ground.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Some historians suggest that this asana is a relatively recent invention. Downward-facing Dog is one of the most basic poses that many modern yogis are taught. Down Dog, another asana from the Sun Salutation sequence, is a full-body workout that strengthens and stretches the body. This pose increases blood flow in the head and heart by following gravity’s natural tendency to flow downward.
Practice tip: Lift and root your arms up and back to the shoulder joints in order to remove weight from tender wrists.
Crow Pose (Kakasana)
This is a great example of how yoga poses can be categorized in different ways. Backbend, arm balance, inversions, etc. The Crow Pose is a combination of arm balance and inversion. Crow pose is popular as it allows you to fly near the ground while building confidence.
Practice tip: Fear of falling can keep us from flying. Try falling intentionally out of the crow! Begin in the yogi’s squat, and then control the fall. Keep the feet on the floor until the head is nearly touching the earth. Then, lift back to Yogi’s squat.
Headstand Pose (Sirsasana)
Headstands are also associated with connecting to the crown chakra. The headstand also connects to the Crown chakra. Headstands are difficult to do, but yogis who learn how to practice them safely and properly reap the benefits of improved memory and self-discipline.
Practice tip: Place one pinky in front rather than under the other pinky when placing your hands together. This will help to reduce the pressure on the pinky and spread the weight out over the outside of the palms.
Pincha Mayurasana – Feathered peacock pose
This pose, which is named after the feathered Peacock pose, is popular for its arm balance, inversion, and photogenic qualities. It also provides a challenge to the core and arm muscles.
This pose is full of energy, and it’s aimed at adventurers who are willing to improve their balance, strength, and courage to fly.
Practice tip: Measure the length of a strap looped from one shoulder down to the other. Now, place the strap around your forearms. This will help you keep the arms in place and activate the shoulders so that they lift upward.
Handstand Pose (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)
Anyone who has ever tried handstands will tell you that it is exhilarating.
Handstands and palm stands help yoga practitioners release tension and increase warmth by activating the fight-flight-freeze response.
Practice tip: When preparing for a handstand, bring the shoulders above the fingertips. The shoulders will act as a pendulum when the legs are kicked up, and the shoulders will move backward over the wrists.
Bridge Pose – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Bridge pose, a backbend with inversion, is helpful for relieving symptoms from back pain to asthma.
Bridge pose, which is often used to cool down the body during closing sequences, can also be practiced as a pre-pose for the Wheel or on its own. It’s a great leg and chest opener and strengthener.
Practice tip: Lift your chest to the chin, NOT chin-to-chest, as this can cause neck strain. This will activate the thyroid.
Shoulder Stand Pose (Sarvangasana)
The shoulder stand is usually part of the closing sequence due to its connection to the parasympathetic system, the rest-and-digest response, and the cooling nature of the pose. Gravity helps deoxygenated blood to travel back from the veins to the heart, where it can be oxygenated.
Practice tip: Avoid putting weight on your head or neck, and keep the hips on your hands. This will help you feel the weight distributed evenly in the shoulders, triceps, and arms.
Keep the weight on the shoulders and the triceps, lift the hips using the core, and bring your chest up to your chin.
Halasana – Plow Pose
This is a very popular pose for yoga, particularly in the early morning hours, to stimulate the thyroid glands and internal organs. Plow pose is a great way to reduce stress and wake up your body. It looks easy, but you need to be focused to avoid neck injuries.
Practice tip: Avoid overstretching by pressing the tops of your shoulders into the floor and keep all of your weight on the tops and the backs of your shoulders.
Wheel Pose – Chakrasana
Wheel Pose is a deep backbend that tones abdominal organs and strengthens the arms and legs. This pose is very popular because of its rejuvenating effects on spinal strength and suppleness, as well as the connection it has to the seven main chakras along the spine.
Practice tip: Begin in the bridge position with your hands near the head, and lift the sternum and heart to protect the lower back.
Yoga Inversion Pose is fun, changes your perspective, and builds confidence. Their popularity is no surprise. What are your favorite inversions? And what would you like to add to the list?
