When you think of the wheel yoga pose or urdhva dhanurasana, do you cringe at the thought of trying to master it? Your first thought is maybe I can’t do that!
But the truth is that anyone can try the wheel yoga pose and get the hang of it with some practice and dedication. Though it requires quite a bit of flexibility and strength to even attempt it, if you’re new to yoga and have never tried this pose before, don’t give up immediately.
You’ll need to practice stretching your legs, hips, and upper body regularly to get into this position.
With these tips on how to master the wheel yoga pose, you can learn how to hold this challenging yoga pose long enough to enjoy all its benefits in your daily life.
What is Wheel Yoga Pose?
The wheel pose is a backbend yoga posture that strengthens and stretches your body, particularly your spine. When you practice Urdhva Dhanurasana regularly, you’ll notice improvements in both your posture and flexibility.
The wheel pose opens up your chest and shoulders, making it a good posture for those who spend long hours at their desk.
It’s an advanced asana, though—you should definitely be proficient in backbends before attempting it. Don’t let its difficulty intimidate you.
Urdhva Dhanurasana Benefits
The Urdhva Dhanurasana, or wheel pose, is a challenging backbend that stretches and strengthens your entire body.
When practicing wheel pose, you can expect to stretch and strengthen your shoulders, hips, chest, and spine.
You’ll also receive an increased blood flow throughout your body. Urdhva Dhanurasana is particularly helpful for relieving tension in your lower back.
If you regularly suffer from lower back pain or discomfort, consider adding Urdhva Dhanurasana into your yoga routine.
The prolonged traction of Urdhva Dhanurasana will help reduce swelling in your lower back area while improving your spine’s mobility and elasticity of muscle tissue surrounding joints in your pelvis and lower back area.
5 Wheel Yoga Pose Benefits You Must Know
Wheel pose, which is also called Urdhva Dhanurasana in Sanskrit, can be categorized as one of the back-bending poses of yoga. The Wheel Pose helps you strengthen your back, shoulders, and arms.
It also improves flexibility and aids in developing core strength that can help you maintain an erect posture.
Apart from all these benefits, many other lesser-known advantages of this difficult yoga pose are important to know before trying it.
Following are the top five benefits of the Wheel Yoga Pose that will help you perform it with perfection
Read more: Top 10 Reasons Why Joining Yoga Teacher Training Is Important
1. Improves Blood Glucose Levels
This yoga pose is known to prevent and cure blood glucose. Diabetes is a major problem in most of today’s countries. Patients with Type 2 diabetes found relief if they regularly practiced wheel pose yoga.
2. Aids in Digestion
The wheel pose, also known as chakrasana, is a great way to gain flexibility in your spine. The flexibility you get from practicing yoga can help aid digestion and relieve pressure in your gut.
If you have trouble with frequent bouts of constipation or feel bloated after eating, try doing a few easy stretches each day.
3. Strengthens Core Muscles
It is an excellent exercise to tone your core muscles and abdomen, making it ideal for weight loss and general toning.
Practicing these poses is also perfect if you want to develop strong abs that you can be proud of.
Another advantage of doing these asanas is that they help improve your body’s flexibility and build strength in the upper arms, shoulders, back, and abdominal muscles.
4. Works on Spinal Flexibility
The wheel pose, also known as Urdhva Dhanurasana, is a really hard yoga asana. It involves balance and strength and stretches your spinal column.
Its most significant benefit is that it helps improve your spine’s flexibility and strengthen it. Being flexible has its own advantages.
Nowadays, many people have such stiff backs that even after reaching a certain age, they cannot touch their toes without bending their knees or helping their children climb onto their laps.
The wheel pose will help stretch out your back muscles and greatly reduce pain in them while you sleep at night, which will allow you to wake up fresher and healthier every morning, which would significantly improve your quality of life
5. Provide Strength In Arms and Wrists
While most of us have heard about yoga’s benefits for flexibility and muscle toning, we may not be aware that it is also good for building strength.
The wheel pose benefits people by strengthening their arms and wrists. The muscles at work are in your forearms, wrists, biceps, triceps, and shoulders.
As you hold a proper wheel pose while breathing smoothly, these muscles work hard to maintain your position against gravity.
Since your hands are on the floor while holding a wheel pose position, they develop a better grip over time as well.
12 Steps To Do Wheel Yoga Pose
- Lie down on your back, separate your feet, and keep your knees bent.
- Then you have to place both your feet on the floor, so they are near you.
- Now place both palms just below the shoulders so that your fingertips will point in your shoulder direction. During this, both your elbows will remain shoulder-width apart.
- Inhale deeply and push your palms down to the floor.
- Start lifting your elbows and shoulders off the floor.
- Your feet should be pressed firmly against the ground.
- Inhale, then raise your hips up.
- The spine should be arched to appear like a semicircular arch or wheel.
- Extend your arms and legs as much as you can so that you can push up the hips and chest.
- Hold this pose for a minimum of 30 seconds or until it feels natural.
- To revert back to the original pose, first bend both your elbows so that they start lowering your head and shoulders onto the ground.
- At last, Bend your knees, bringing yourself back down to the ground and relaxing.
Precautions While Doing Wheel Posture
While performing the Wheel pose, or Urdhva Dhanurasana, try not to overstretch your neck. Don’t attempt it if you have high blood pressure.
In case of carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist injury, avoid placing weight on your hands. People with irregular heartbeats or hypertension should also avoid practicing Wheel pose inversions.
Those who suffer from a painful back should avoid urdhva dhanurasana. If you are pregnant or menstruating, do not perform any inversion poses until you get the go-ahead from your yoga instructor and doctor.
Which Muscles Are Stretched in Wheel Yoga Pose?
The wheel pose—or urdhva dhanurasana, in Sanskrit—stretches many of your major muscles. These include your shoulders, upper back, triceps, hips, and thighs.
Additionally, because it takes considerable concentration and balance, urdhva dhanurasana stretches your mental focus as well.
Overall, it’s a demanding yet rewarding yoga pose that helps improve strength and flexibility while promoting relaxation.
Before trying wheel poses for yourself, though, make sure you’re physically ready for its intensity.
FAQs about Wheel Yoga Pose
Q.1. What is Wheel Pose good for?
Ans. One of yoga’s most accessible backbends, wheel posture is also great for building strength and flexibility in your spine. It stretches and strengthens your upper back, shoulders, arms, abdomen, and legs—and it’s a great way to relieve stress.
Q.2. Why is wheel Pose so difficult?
Ans. The wheel pose is one of yoga’s most challenging poses, making it one of its most rewarding. Many students never master it and drop out, feeling defeated and frustrated.
The reason is this requires immense flexibility along with strength in arms to maintain body weight and balance. People with stiff back muscles won’t get into wheel posture comfortably.
Q.3. Who should not do a wheel pose?
Ans. If you have a recent or chronic injury, it’s best to avoid Urdhva Dhanurasana. This includes your arms, shoulders, neck, or lower back injuries.
Avoid wheel pose if you have low blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. It can also increase your blood pressure and heart rate, so if you take medications for high blood pressure, it’s best not to do wheel pose either.
Q.4. Can everyone do a wheel pose?
Ans. No. Some people have particular injuries that prevent them from doing wheel pose. If you are trying to master the wheel yoga pose and can’t seem to get it, consider seeing a physical therapist who is certified in working with yogis.
A good PT can pinpoint whether your inability is due to a specific injury or limitation and then guide you on how best to move forward safely in your practice.
