Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
A backbend on the forearms, the hands clasped around the head and the legs walked out long, so the arch opens the shoulders and the front of the body; an advanced pose held for time.
How to do it
Setup
Lying on the back, knees bent, feet flat near the buttocks, palms by the ears as for the wheel.
Steps
- Press up onto the crown of the head, most of the weight in the hands and feet.
- Lower the forearms one at a time and clasp the hands around the back of the head.
- Press the forearms down to lift the head, walk the feet out, and hold.
- Walk the feet back, lower onto the crown, then roll down onto the back.
Common mistakes
Loading the head and neck: the forearms and feet carry the weight, the head stays light or lifted. Elbows splaying wider than the shoulders: keep them shoulder-width apart. Trying it without a comfortable wheel: build the wheel first; this pose comes after it.
Breathing
Slow and even through the hold.
