In spite of their obvious similarities, the upper and lower extremities of the human body have evolved to perform different functions. The structures of the foot, knee, hip, and pelvis point to their functions of support and locomotion.
The highly mobile structures of the hand, elbow, and shoulder girdle have evolved to reach and grasp and are less ideally suited to weight bearing. In fact, when you compare the proportional structures of the hand and foot, you see an inverse relationship between the weight-bearing and articular structures within them.
In the foot, the heavy, dense tarsal bones comprise half the length of its structure. Adding to this the weight-bearing function of the metatarsals, it can be said that four fifths of the foot’s structure is dedicated to weight bearing. The foot’s phalangeal structures (the toes) contribute only one fifth of its total length.
These proportions are completely reversed in the hand, where half the length of the structure is composed of the highly mobile phalangeal (finger) bones. The hand’s metacarpals are also very mobile (compared to the metatarsals), whereas the relatively immobile carpals (wrist bones) comprise only one fifth of the total length of the hand. This means that even if you effectively recruit the metacarpals in arm support, you still have only half the length of the hand structured for weight bearing.
When you use the upper limbs in weight-bearing poses, you have to take into account the fact that they are at a structural disadvantage and take extra care in preparation and execution.
On the other hand, taking the time to learn how to organize support through the hands and upper limbs can be a wonderful recuperation for the ways in which people stress their hands, arms, shoulders, and upper backs while sitting at desks and using computers.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna
adho = downward; mukha = face; shvana = dog
Classification
Symmetrical inverted arm support pose
Notes
There are many approaches to working with this pose. Fundamentally, it is a great opportunity to observe the effects of the arms and legs on the spine.
Assuming the spine is in neutral extension or axial extension, then there is flexion in both the shoulder joints and the hip joints and extension in the elbows and knees.
The latissimus dorsi often try to help in the action of the arms, but these muscles depress and internally rotate the shoulders (the opposite of the desired action), which can create an impingement at the acromion process.
The pronators are active in the forearms, but if rotation between the radius and ulna is limited, this restriction can translate into overarticulation in the elbows or wrists, or internal rotation of the arms at the shoulder joints—all common sites of injury for practitioners of vinyasa styles of yoga that employ repetitive downward-facing dogs in sun salutations.
As in the foot and leg, the intrinsic action in the hand is essential for the integration of the whole arm. Essentially, each hand must act as much like a foot as possible by maintaining its arch.
Breathing
From the perspective of the breath, this pose is an inversion. Because inversions naturally move the diaphragm cranially, the exhaling action of the abdominal muscles can be quite deep. If the lower abdominal action is maintained when initiating the inhalation (mula bandha), the thoracic structures are encouraged to mobilize, which can be quite challenging in an arm support pose.
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Upward-Facing Dog Pose
OORD-vah MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna
urdhva = rising or tending upward, raised, elevated; mukha = face; shvana = dog
Classification
Symmetrical backward-bending arm support pose
Notes
If the goal is to have extension distributed throughout the whole spine, there will need to be more action in the thoracic region and less in the lumbar and cervical regions. This translates into concentric work for the extensors in the thoracic spine and eccentric work for the flexors in the cervical and lumbar spines.
The latissimus dorsi are not so helpful in this pose, because they can fix the scapulae on the rib cage and inhibit extension in the thoracic spine. They also produce internal rotation of the humerus and downward rotation of the scapulae, which oppose the actions of this pose.
Depending on where restrictions are, the humerus can be drawn into either internal or external rotation.
The pronators in the forearms and the intrinsic muscles of each hand distribute pressure through the whole hand to protect the heel of each hand and decrease pressure in each wrist.
Breathing
As the counterpose to adho mukha svanasana (page 224), which is often done while exhaling, this pose is related to the expansive action of inhaling. Holding this pose for several breaths allows the inhaling action to deepen the extension in the thoracic spine, whereas the exhaling action can assist in stabilizing the lumbar and cervical curves.
Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Downward-Facing Tree Pose
AH-doh MOO-kah vrik-SHAHS-anna
adho = downward; mukha = face; vrksa = tree
Classification
Symmetrical inverted balancing arm support pose
Notes
If the latissimus dorsi are tight, the flexion and upward rotation of the scapulae are inhibited, and the lumbar spine might hyperextend instead.
It’s very challenging to maintain the integrity of the hands with all the weight of the body balancing on them, but it’s essential in this pose because collapsing into the wrist or heel of the hand is quite dangerous for the carpal tunnel and the nerves passing through it.
For hypermobile students, it is especially important to find the strength of deep, intrinsic muscles so that the pose doesn’t become rigid, but is both stable and fluid—in other words, it is available for breathing.
Breathing
This can be one of the most difficult poses in which to breathe effectively because of the challenges of balancing, inverting, and doing strong upper-body actions. Many people instinctively hold the breath, partly out of fear, but also because of a need to stabilize the movements of the spine. Of course, to maintain this balance for more than a few seconds, the breath must be integrated into the pose—not necessarily as deep, full breaths, but as efficient breaths that don’t disrupt the balancing or stabilizing actions of the core musculature.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Four-Limbed Stick Pose
chaht-tour-ANG-ah dan-DAHS-anna
chatur = four; anga = limb; danda = staff, stick
Classification
Symmetrical arm support pose
Notes
Weakness in the pose can appear in the lower body as lumbar hyperextension combined with hip flexion. To counter this, the hip extension action of the hamstrings is important.
In the upper body, weakness in the triceps brachii and serratus anterior can show up as a downward rotation of the scapulae and an overuse of the pectoralis major and minor.
Depressing the scapulae by recruiting the latissimus dorsi can give a feeling of strength in the back, but it contributes to hyperextension of the lumbar spine and a downward rotation of the scapulae.
Breathing
Maintaining this position relative to gravity calls into play virtually all the respiratory muscles, along with the arms and shoulder girdle. This degree of muscular effort produces a strong stabilizing effect on the movements of the diaphragm, which operate against considerable resistance. Progress in this pose consists of making the muscular effort as efficient as possible, which results in the ability to maintain both the alignment and smooth breathing for increasingly longer periods of time.
Bakasana
Crow Pose, Crane Pose
bak-AHS-anna
baka = crow, crane, heron
Classification
Symmetrical balancing arm support pose
Notes
In bird poses (crow, eagle, rooster, peacock, etc.), common factors are flexion of the thoracic spine, abduction of the scapulae, and extension of the cervical spine. These actions require precision and strength in the muscles of the spine to achieve cervical extension without engaging the trapezius, which interferes with the action of the scapulae and arms.
Although the knees initially widen to come into this position, the final action of the legs is adduction, to hug the knees to the sides of the upper arms or outer shoulders.
Breathing
Because the thoracic region is maintained in flexion, breath movements in the rib cage are minimized in this pose. The lower abdomen is also stabilized somewhat by the deep abdominal and hip flexor action, but the upper abdomen is relatively free to move.
Parsva Bakasana
Side Crow Pose, Side Crane Pose
parsh-vah bak-AHS-anna
parsva = side; baka = crow, crane, heron
Classification
Asymmetrical twisting balancing arm support pose
Notes
In this rotated pose the spine is more extended than in bakasana (page 232). If the knees separate in this pose, the rotation is happening more in the hip joints than in the spine.
Breathing
Breathing in this pose is similar to that in bakasana, but even more restricted because of the twisting of the spine.
Astavakrasana
Eight-Angle Pose
AHSH-tak-vah-KRAHS-anna
ashta = eight; vakra = crooked, curved, bent
Astavakra was a very learned sage whose mother attended Vedic chanting classes while pregnant. While he was in his mother’s womb, he winced at eight of his father’s mispronunciations of Vedic prayers, and was thus born with eight bends in his body.
Classification
Asymmetrical twisting arm support pose
Notes
This pose requires the same action in the spine as parsva bakasana (page 234), although the spine is often slightly more extended (toward neutral) in astavakrasana, which allows for a more even distribution of the rotation through the spine.
In astavakrasana, the binding of the feet keeps the legs symmetrical. This symmetry in the legs and hip joints means that the rotation has to happen more in the spine and less in the hip joints. With the wrapping of the legs around the arm, less twist is needed than in parsva bakasana, because the bottom leg doesn’t have to move to the top of the arm, but stays underneath it.
As in ardha matsyendrasana (page 150), if the spine does not rotate, potentially risky compensatory twisting can occur through overmobilizing the scapulae on the rib cage.
Also, the wrapping of the legs around the arm creates a fairly stable pivot point. The challenge of this pose (if one can do parsva bakasana) is more about balance and flexibility than strength. The extended legs in this pose might make the counterbalance on the support of the arms challenging.
Breathing
As compared to parsva bakasana, in which the body weight is lifted and supported on the upper arms, astavakrasana requires you to suspend the weight of the lower body from the support of the upper arms. It’s interesting to examine which pose affords easier breathing. Which pose requires more or less expenditure of energy, and which offers more freedom of movement for the diaphragm?
Mayurasana
Peacock Pose
ma-your-AHS-anna
mayura = peacock
Classification
Symmetrical arm support pose
Notes
As in other bird poses (eagle, crow, rooster, etc.), mayurasana involves flexion of the thoracic spine, abduction of the scapulae, and extension of the cervical spine. It’s unusual to balance on the arms with the forearms supinated. This changes the action in the elbows, and brings the biceps brachii much more into use.
A variation of mayurasana with the legs in padmasana (lotus) is generally easier to do because the lever of the legs is shortened by folding them in.
Breathing
The pressure of the elbows into the abdomen stimulates the organs. Many benefits have traditionally been ascribed to this effect. All the abdominal muscles activate to resist the pressure of the elbows into the viscera. The abdominal organs are being strongly squeezed from front and back, as well as from above and below, by the respiratory and pelvic diaphragms.
Considering how much muscular energy is expended to maintain this pose and the minimal amount of breathing it permits, it’s no wonder that it is rarely held for more than a few breaths. The lungs in their limited capacity are simply unable to supply enough oxygen for that degree of muscular effort.
Pincha Mayurasana
Feathered Peacock Pose
pin-cha ma-your-AHS-anna
pincha = a feather of a tail; mayura = peacock
Classification
Symmetrical inverted balancing arm support pose
Notes
With stability in the shoulder joints themselves (through the engagement of the rotator cuffs), the scapulae are free to mobilize on the rib cage, and there can be more freedom in the thoracic spine to extend and in the rib cage to breathe. Mobility in the thoracic spine is important; much like in urdhva mukha svanasana (page 226), the more extension available in the thoracic spine, the less the lower back and cervical spine have to do.
If tightness in the forearms (either in the supinators or in the interosseus membranes between the radius and the ulna) restricts full pronation, the elbows swing open or the hands come together. This common forearm issue is often interpreted as tightness in the shoulders or weakness in the wrists.
Shortness in the latissimus dorsi can also pull the elbows wide by internally rotating the humerus. This can feel like tight shoulders, but can actually be addressed by side bending and other actions that lengthen the latissimus dorsi. Shortness in these muscles also causes too much lumbar extension and interferes with breathing.
Breathing
The base of support for this pose is formed by the forearms, rib cage, and thoracic spine, and these structures need to be quite stable to maintain balance. Because of this, excessive chest breathing might interfere with supporting a forearm stand. On the other hand, the weight of the legs and pelvis and the curve of the lumbar spine need to be stabilized by the abdominal muscles, making too much abdominal movement counterproductive. Because of these factors, a breathing pattern that moves equally and smoothly throughout the body is needed.
Salamba Sirsasana
Supported Headstand
sah-LOM-bah shear-SHAHS-anna
sa = with; alamba = that on which one rests or leans, support; sirsa = head
Classification
Symmetrical inverted balancing arm support pose
Notes
For some, the ideal placement of the weight on the skull is on the bregma—the juncture between the coronal and sagittal sutures, where the frontal bone meets the two parietal bones. This leads to a slightly more arched final position. Placing the weight more toward the crown of the head leads to a more neutral spine and more balanced action between the front and back of the body.
Many people have asymmetries and slight rotations in their spines, which become more apparent in this pose. Note the rotational shifts and other asymmetries in the illustration of the author in salamba sirsasana below.
It can be a challenge to find full hip extension in this pose. If the abdominal muscles are not strong enough, the hips can flex to keep the work of the pose in the back muscles instead of in the front.
Note: Contrary to popular notions of increased blood or oxygen flow to the brain in inversions, it should be noted that the body has very robust mechanisms that control the amount of blood delivered to any given region, irrespective of the orientation to gravity.
Regional changes in blood pressure have been observed based on inversion or compression of major blood vessels by body position, but this is a distinct issue from movement of blood volume and thus oxygen delivery.
That said, inversions do offer a very beneficial opportunity for increased venous return from the lower body, as well as improved lymph drainage—not to mention the benefits derived from inverting the action of the diaphragm.
The author’s asymmetries are exaggerated in salamba sirsasana.
Even if you favor the bregma version of this pose and enter into the pose with straight legs with the intention to end up in a more arched position, the strength and coordination required to maintain salamba sirsasana safely demands certain skills that can be best developed by practicing the bent-leg entry into the pose. The key test is whether you can raise the weight off the feet without jumping and maintain the difficult pose known as acunchanasana (bent-legged headstand) for several breaths.
Acunchanasana.
Breathing
When the support for salamba sirsasana is derived from the deeper intrinsic muscles of the spine, as well as the coordinated actions of the hamstrings, vastii, psoas minor, internal obliques, transversus abdominis, and serratus anterior, the weight forces of the body are more neutralized in gravity. Then, the muscular effort of remaining in the pose is minimized, and the breath is calm and efficient. At that point, the inverted nature of the diaphragm’s action is emphasized because of the strong actions of the abdominal muscles and pelvic diaphragm, which help to stabilize the center of gravity over the base of support. All the internal organs, which anchor to the central tendon of the diaphragm, can move differently in inversions.
Supporting the weight on the bregma—the darker blue spot in figure a—results in the slightly more arched position in figure b. Supporting weight near the crown—the lighter blue spot in figure a—leads to a more neutral spine position.
Vrschikasana
Scorpion Pose
vrs-chee-KAHS-anna
vrschana = scorpion
Classification
Symmetrical inverted backward-bending arm support pose
Notes
Even though pincha mayurasana (page 240) is considered preparation for vrschikasana, vrschikasana can be an easier pose to balance in because of its lower center of gravity.
To deepen from pincha mayurasana into vrschikasana, the scapulae need to slide together on the back, which lowers the rib cage toward the floor and creates more mobility in the thoracic spine. The head can then lift and the thoracic spine can extend further. This also changes the pivot point for balancing from between the shoulders to closer toward the sacrum in the spine. The lifting of the head is important to shifting the balance point; otherwise, the legs might overbalance the pose backward, causing you to fall into a back bend.
As the knees bend and the feet move toward the head, the hamstrings are at their shortest working length. For this reason, they often cramp while trying to do this action.
As important as getting into this pose is the ability to get out of it and find the relative neutrality of pincha mayurasana again. It’s a good idea to practice it in a manageable range, entering and exiting the pose with control.
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Upward Bow Pose, Wheel Pose
OORD-vah don-your-AHS-anna
urdhva = upward; dhanu = bow
Classification
Symmetrical backward-bending arm support pose
(a-d) Hand musculature mirroring the layers found in the foot (page 75).
Notes
The correct leg action is useful for getting into urdhva dhanurasana. When people use the quadriceps to try to extend the knees, it can create a pushing action that thrusts weight toward the head and arms, making it even harder to raise the upper body off the floor. Initiating the lift of the pelvis with more attention to hip extension can pull the weight of the body over the legs and make less work for the upper limbs.
Of the adductor group, the adductor magnus is most useful for urdhva dhanurasana because it creates hip extension and internal rotation along with adduction—all actions that support the alignment of the pose. The gluteus maximus is less useful for hip extension in this position because it can create external rotation, which can lead to compression in the sacrum and low-back pain.
The arms need to move freely overhead, and a combination of mobilizing the scapulae and stabilizing the rotation in the shoulder joints with the rotator cuffs creates the necessary balance. If the latissimus dorsi are short or overactive, they restrict the ability of the scapulae to upwardly rotate. This can force excessive action into the spine or shoulder joints.
Similarly, if the hips don’t extend with ease, too much movement can be forced into the lumbar spine.
Breathing
Many students have been frustrated by their inability to take deep, full breaths in urdhva dhanurasana. The reason for this is simple: In this shape, the body is stabilized in a maximal inhalation, and there is very little one can do to expand further if attempting to inhale deeply. Quiet, relaxed breathing is preferable. The more efficient the muscle action in the pose is, the less oxygen you’ll need to fuel the effort.
Vasisthasana
Side Plank Pose, Sage Vasistha’s Pose
vah-sish-TAHS-anna
vasistha = a sage; most excellent, best, richest
Classification
Asymmetrical balancing arm support pose
Notes
The challenge of this pose is not one of flexibility, but instead how to maintain the neutral alignment of the spine and legs and the simple positions of the arms against the action of gravity. The asymmetrical relationship to gravity means that muscles have to work asymmetrically to create a symmetrical alignment of the body—essentially tadasana (page 72) turned on its side.
There are many ways that gravity pulls the body out of tadasana in this pose: The spine may twist, the hips may fall forward or the shoulders may fall back (or vice versa), the bottom scapula and bottom leg may both adduct, or the pelvis may fall to the floor. It’s easy to overcompensate by lifting the hips too high or to create lateral flexion of the spine in either direction by either giving in to gravity or overresisting it.
Side plank pose is simple, but not easy.
Breathing
From the standpoint of the breath, this pose has much in common with niralamba sarvangasana (page 193). It is also a challenging balancing pose that requires a lot of stabilizing action in the abdominal and thoracic musculature. Side plank is a bit easier because the arms can be used for support and balance, but deep breathing might still have the effect of destabilizing the pose.
Efficiency—finding the minimum amount of effort necessary to maintain the position—allows the limited breath movements to supply just enough energy to sustain the pose.
Chatus Pada Pitham
Four-Footed Tabletop Pose
CHA-toos PA-da PEE-tham
chatur = four; pada = foot; pitham = stool, seat, chair, bench
Classification
Symmetrical arm support pose
Notes
Weakness in the hamstrings makes it difficult to create neutral extension of the hip joints, so many people use the quadriceps to extend the knees and push the feet into the floor. The problem here is that this tends to also create hip flexion, which obstructs the openings at the fronts of the hip joints. Overusing the gluteus maximus also externally rotates the hips, which the adductors counter, creating even more restriction at the hip joints.
Too much tightness in the pectoral region prevents the scapulae from moving into adduction and results in either too much movement in the shoulder joints or in flexion of the spine.
Breathing
Unlike urdhva dhanurasana (page 249), chatus pada pitham is not an extreme spinal extension that can restrict movement of the back of the thoracic cavity. However, the extension of the arms at the shoulder joints can restrict the movement of the front of the thoracic cavity, particularly if there is any tightness across the pectoral muscles. This might encourage the breath to move more into the abdomen. The combination of lifting action in the back body and release in the front body makes for an interesting opportunity to experiment by moving the breath around the abdominal and thoracic regions. Some breathing patterns have more of an effect on the stability of the pose, whereas others can assist in opening the upper rib cage.
Purvottanasana
Upward Plank Pose
POOR-vo-tan-AHS-anna
purva = front, east; ut = intense; tan = extend, stretch
Classification
Symmetrical backward-bending arm support pose
Notes
Often in this pose there is too much lumbar extension and not enough hip extension, and the hip joints might even drop into flexion. The hamstrings should be the main extensors for the hip joints here, but if they are weak, the gluteus maximus can kick in. The problem with using the gluteus maximus is that it brings in external rotation, which is harder on the lower back.
If the hamstrings are too weak to do purvottanasana, then chatus pada pitham (page 256) is an excellent preparation.
The latissimus dorsi are not so helpful in this pose, because they can fix the scapulae on the rib cage and inhibit extension in the thoracic spine.
The actions needed in the scapulae, shoulder joints, and upper back are very similar to those in salamba sarvangasana (page 190), though in a different relationship to gravity and without the cervical flexion of the neck that brings the head forward.
Breathing
As in chatus pada pitham, the extension of the arms at the shoulder joints in purvottanasana can restrict the movement of the front of the thoracic cavity, particularly if there is any tightness across the pectoral muscles. This might encourage the breath to move more into the abdomen, which can be a challenge for the action needed to maintain hip and knee extension.