Reverse Plank | Upward Plank Pose: Strategies to Apply Purvottanasana

“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>

When you occur to usually apply Surya Namaskar (Photo voltaic Salutations) or take every vinyasa your teacher affords, you’ll develop a strong greater physique—and possibly a muscle imbalance. That’s because of all of those push-ups set off your chest and shoulders to develop to be tighter and your once more to develop to be weaker. This can lead to injury—besides you incorporate poses like Purvottanasana (Reverse Plank or Upward Plank Pose) to counterbalance these actions.

Whereas Chaturanga strengthens the doorway of your physique, Upward Plank Pose stretches the doorway and strengthens the once more. In reality, Purvottanasana asks you to work together practically every muscle in your physique. Practiced precisely, you’ll stretch tight muscular tissues in your shoulders, chest, and the doorway of your ankles, whereas strengthening your arms, wrists, and legs.

Practising complementary poses will present you learn how to assemble power that is balanced with flexibility—and present you learn how to proceed to use yoga safely and injury-free.

Reverse Plank | Upward Plank Pose fundamentals

Sanskrit: Purvottanasana (purr-vo-tahn-AHS-ah-nuh)

Pose type: Arm steadiness

Targets: Full physique

Why we like it: “This pose prompts every muscle in my physique,” says Yoga Journal staff writer Ellen O’Brien. “For that function, I used to dread it—and in consequence, I put method an extreme quantity of stress and strain into my arms and shoulders. As quickly as I noticed how one can stretch, broaden (and breathe!) into the pose, I found myself having enjoyable with it far more.”

Change right into a member at current to entry Yoga Journal’s full Pose Library, which blends skilled insights from prime lecturers with video instruction, anatomy know-how, variations, and further for 50+ poses, along with Reverse Plank. It’s a helpful useful resource you’ll return to many occasions.

Pose benefits

Upward Plank Pose strengthens your arms, wrists, and legs, whereas stretching your shoulders, chest, and entrance ankles.

Reverse Plank: Step-by-step instructions

1. Begin seated in Dandasana (Workers Pose) collectively together with your legs extended forward and your palms subsequent to your hips, collectively together with your fingertips pointing forward.
2. Contact your large toes collectively and maintain a small amount of home between your heels.
3. Flex your ankles to draw your toes in direction of your knees. Press forward collectively together with your large toe mounds.
4. Rotate your inside thighs down, and company your outer ankles into your midline.
5. Lean once more barely, and slide your palms once more about 8 inches.
6. As you inhale, switch your shoulder blades in, and elevate and open your chest.
7. As you exhale, stage your ft, attain in direction of the bottom collectively together with your large toe mounds, and elevate your hips.
8. Press in direction of the bottom collectively together with your large toe mounds. Rotate your inside thighs in and down whereas  you directing your buttocks in direction of the backs of your knees.
9. Press down collectively together with your palms to raise your thoracic spine in direction of your sternum and your sternum in direction of the ceiling. Inflate your chest.
10. Allow your head to drop once more, guaranteeing the curve of your neck is a continuation of the curve of your greater once more
11. Preserve for 5–10 breaths. Press into your ft and palms as you exhale; life your hips and chest as you inhale.
12. Launch once more to the bottom.

Beginner’s tip

Apply with a chair help: Sit near the doorway fringe of the seat and wrap your palms throughout the once more edge. Inhale to raise your pelvis, then extend each leg with as you inhale.

Educating Purvottanasana

• School college students can modify this pose by inserting their palms on two blocks. The blocks extend the dimensions of the scholar’s arms, making it easier to get the soles of their ft in direction of the mat. When you occur to’re advising a scholar who has wrist ache, have them slant the blocks in direction of a wall to decrease the angle of wrist flexion on this pose.
• This generally is a good pose to insert proper right into a Chaturanga-heavy sequence, as a result of it stretches the doorway of the physique and strengthens the once more of the physique.

Variation: Reverse Tabletop

Begin seated on the bottom collectively together with your knees bent and your ft flat on the bottom. Press your palms into the bottom behind you (palms going by means of down and fingertips going by means of forward). Slowly begin to elevate your hips and press your chest upward. Avoid dropping your head once more. In its place, maintain your neck consistent with the rest of your spine (or chin may be tucked barely). Preserve for plenty of breaths, then slowly launch your hips once more down as you draw your chin in in direction of your chest.

Preparatory poses

Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)

Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

Plank Pose

Humble Warrior

Dolphin Plank Pose (Forearm Plank)

Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Counter poses

Ananda Balasana (Comfy Little one Pose)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

Examine further from our full Pose Library—which choices additional cues, step-by-step video instruction, skilled insights, pose variations, anatomy know-how, and further for 50+ poses, along with Reverse Plank—by turning right into a member. You’ll moreover acquire distinctive content material materials along with sequences, video programs, a subscription to Yoga Journal journal, and further.