Inversions-ShoulderstandBeginner
Plow Pose
Halasana
Plow Pose rolls the body over the shoulders so the toes root beyond the head, lengthening the spine and bathing abdominal organs in calm compression.
No image available
How to Perform
- 1
From Supported Shoulderstand, exhale and hinge the hips to lower the legs overhead.
- 2
Touch toes to the floor behind the head, keeping thighs active and hips stacked over shoulders.
- 3
Walk toes farther away as needed, pressing hands into the back or clasping fingers on the mat.
- 4
Draw the navel toward the spine and breathe smoothly through the throat lock.
- 5
To exit, re-support the back with the hands, lift the legs to vertical, then lower vertebra by vertebra.
Benefits
- Elongates the entire posterior chain, easing spinal stiffness.
- Massages abdominal organs to aid digestion and elimination.
- Settles the nervous system by reversing blood flow and quieting the mind.
Alignment Cues
- Hips stay stacked above shoulders for a clean fold
- Legs reach long with knees straight and feet active
- Back of neck remains long with chin lightly toward sternum
- Hands either support the back or clasp to deepen shoulder opening
Common Mistakes
No common mistakes listed.
Contraindications
- • Uncontrolled hypertension, glaucoma, or retinal pathology
- • Recent cervical spine, shoulder, or brain injury
- • Pregnancy after first trimester unless a long-term inversion practitioner
Recommended Props
BlanketChairBlocks
Tags
Halasana SeriesIntermediateInversions-ShoulderstandLegsPlough FamilyShouldersSpineasana