The Inversion Pose is one of the safest and most effective poses you can do to prevent back pain. It also tones your abs and improves your posture. If you want to learn how to do yoga poses, this guide will teach you how to do the 5 yoga inversions for beginners.
Yoga, in one form or another, is probably the most popular form of exercise in the world today. But, for the uninitiated, it can be somewhat intimidating. If you’re interested in giving the ancient practice a try, here are a few tips that can help ease you into the process.
Inversions are a great addition to your yoga practice. Many people are afraid of yoga inversions because they think it’s dangerous. In actuality, inversions are a great way to build strength in the body and give the practitioner a deeper understanding of yoga.
Reversals are the basis of a good yoga practice. I like to think of inversion as a fountain of youth. Rolling on the head or lowering the head below the heart can stimulate the nervous system, increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain, increase metabolism and energy levels, affect the cardiovascular system, activate the lymphatic system and promote circulation.
Reversals can be intimidating for beginners, but they are definitely worth working on and incorporating into your daily practice. If you have high blood pressure or are pregnant, you should proceed with caution and consult your doctor first or rule out reversals altogether.
If you want to take it a step further, the free 30-day yoga challenge helps you get into a regular daily routine. If you start walking on your head every day, you will soon start seeing things in a new light!
1. Trolling dog
Yes, the Downward Dog is an inversion! Many of my beginning students think it’s not an inversion unless they’re completely upside down. In the downward dog position, on the other hand, your head is under your heart, and this is a sure way to feel your arms, legs, and heart going into the upside down position.
The head down dog is more or less a triangle, with the head at one end, the legs at the other, and the hips forming the top. To get into the downward dog position, get on all fours, pull your toes under you and bring your hips to your heels. Tighten your abs and lift your hips into the air.
You may have to put your legs back a little when you do the pose. Squeeze your arms tightly together and shift your weight to your feet.
A common mistake is to push the upper body too far forward. If your hamstrings are tight, keep your knees bent and keep lifting your hips. Release the head and hold it for 5 to 8 breaths.
Once you are comfortable in the downward dog, you can work on the three-legged dog or dog jump by lifting one leg in the air while maintaining good form.
2. Dolphin Conservation
Credit : Christine McGee.
The dolphin pose is a great inversion for beginners because it helps you build the strength you need for your upper body and core.
I always advise beginners to master the dolphin pose first before starting the headstand, so that the basis is already established. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves: The dolphin pose is itself an inversion that must be mastered.
Get on all fours and lower your elbows onto the mat. Make sure your elbows and wrists are aligned and your thumbs and index fingers are actively pressed together. Lift your hips and back while doing the Downward Dog. Hold this position for 5 to 8 breaths.
Work on the leg lift in the dolphin lunges if you feel comfortable in this position. Make sure you switch sides.
3. Get ready to do headstand
Theheadstand preparation is a good way to get comfortable with your head on the ground while finding the strength in your upper body and working on lifting your hips above your head.
Assume a dolphin pose position, bringing your hands together to form a fist with enough space between your palms (as if a tennis ball would fit inside).
Place the crown of the head between the wrists (don’t let it fall on the palms) and actively squeeze the forearms and the outside edges of the wrists to lift the shoulders off the ears. Bring your feet as close together as possible and hold this position for 5 to 8 breaths.
Rest in the child’s posture when you are finished.
4. Wall T-style
This is one of my favorite inversions for beginners – and for all yogis, for that matter. This really forces you to find your pivot point and actively use your legs when you are upside down.
Walk to the wall on a mat and stand on all fours under the base of the wall. Make sure you do NOT bring your arms forward, but keep them straight under your shoulders. Bring your buttocks into a downward dog position and go over the wall with one leg at hip height, then lift the other leg and work on stretching your legs.
You’ll definitely feel it in your arms, so squeeze your legs even tighter and work on your abs. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, then increase to 5 to 8 breaths.
Once you have mastered this pose, you will have no problem doing a full handstand.
5. Shoulder rest
Photo credits : Julia Lee
The shoulder pose is the queen of asanas and is often performed at the end of a class to slow the pace and quiet the mind. Yet it is anything but a passive turnaround.
You must constantly move your legs, arms and torso, especially in a position where your cervical spine is at risk.
I recommend that all beginners prepare a shoulder position by placing two blankets or towels on top of each other at the back edge of the mat.
If you want to fold your adhesive mat over, you can do so – for extra forearm support. Lie on the support so that your upper back and shoulders rest on it and your head is on the floor, away from the back of the support.
Using your abdominal muscles, raise your legs above your head into a plow position (for some this is the maximum), cross your arms and bring your shoulders to your ears to loosen up your cervical vertebrae. The weight should be on the arms and the back of the head.
When you feel you are ready, lift your legs above your head and form a straight line. Fully contract your abdominal muscles and lift your legs to the sky. Hold this position for 5-8 breaths or longer if you can. The tendency here is to drop the body into banana shape, so you can occasionally lower the legs and bring the pose back to its original position.
Remember, yoga is a lifelong journey. You don’t need to manually balance to take advantage of the inversion.
Start with these beginner inversions and before you know it, you’ll have more energy, more stamina, a healthy nervous system, a stronger body and a better immune system.
Your yoga practice is not complete without experiencing the inversion, and with the right sequence of inversions, you can work your muscles, strengthen your bones, improve your flexibility, and even improve your balance. This article will tell you all you need to know about inversion yoga, including excellent sequences of poses for beginners to try out.. Read more about how to do yoga inversions and let us know what you think.
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