Plow Yoga Pose
The Plow Yoga Pose gently stretches your spine, hamstrings, and shoulders, promoting flexibility and calming your nervous system.
Description
The Plow Yoga Pose is a calming stretch for the back and the legs. It helps to reduce stress and fatigue.
How to Do Plow Yoga Pose
- 1Setup
Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing down, and legs extended.
- 2Setup
Engage your core, press your palms into the floor, and lift your legs straight up towards the ceiling, bringing them over your head.
- 3
Continue to lift your hips off the floor, rolling your spine up and over until your feet touch the floor behind your head.
- 4
Keep your legs straight and feet flexed, resting your weight on your shoulders and upper back, not your neck.
- 5
If comfortable, interlace your fingers behind your back and extend your arms, pressing them into the mat to deepen the shoulder stretch.
- 6
Breathe deeply and hold the pose for the desired duration, then slowly return to the starting position by rolling your spine down one vertebra at a time.
Tips
- Avoid turning your head side to side while in the pose to protect your cervical spine; keep your gaze fixed upwards.
- If your feet don't reach the floor, rest them on a chair, yoga block, or the wall for support, or keep your knees bent towards your forehead.
- To deepen the hamstring stretch, actively press your heels down and lift your sit bones towards the ceiling, without straining your neck.
- Maintain core engagement throughout the entire movement, especially when lifting and lowering your legs, to protect your lower back.
Common Mistakes
- ×Resting weight on the neck instead of the shoulders can strain the cervical spine; ensure your weight is distributed across your shoulders and upper back.
- ×Bending the knees excessively when feet are on the floor reduces the hamstring stretch; strive to keep your legs as straight as possible while maintaining comfort.
- ×Rushing the exit from the pose can jar the spine; slowly articulate your spine back to the mat one vertebra at a time, using your core for control.
Variations
Bridge Pose Yoga Stretch
Strengthen your glutes and hamstrings while stretching your chest and hip flexors with Bridge Pose. Improve posture and relieve back pain.
Wheel Pose Yoga Pose
Master the Wheel Pose, a powerful yoga backbend that deeply stretches the chest, abdomen, and hip flexors while strengthening the arms, legs, and spine.
Shoulder Stand Yoga Pose
Master the Shoulder Stand Yoga Pose to strengthen your core, improve balance, and stretch your spine. Achieve a calm mind and body with this inversion.
Cobra Yoga Pose
Perform the Cobra Yoga Pose to gently stretch your rectus abdominis and open your chest, shoulders, and hip flexors.
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