Yoga Instruction
Focus: Legs and Feet
Level: Beginner
Total Time: Up to 15 minutes
Indications: digestion, blood pressure, respiration
Contraindications: eye injury, back or neck problems
Legs Up The Wall
Note:
The legs up the wall pose focuses on stretching the backs of your legs and neck as well as the front of your body. It can treat cramped legs and feet while relieving minor backaches. Experts credit this pose with relieving a number of conditions including arthritis, blood pressure problems, sleeplessness, menstrual- related symptoms, headaches, and digestive/respiratory issues. There are contradictory beliefs regarding whether women experiencing menstruation should perform this pose. Consult with an experienced instructor if you have questions. Individuals with eye, back, or neck problems should avoid this pose entirely.
To perform the legs up the wall position, you will need a support like a thick folded blanket. You will also need a wall you can prop your legs up to.
Pose Instruction
- The first thing you’ll need to do is figure out where and how to place your support. It is intended to raise your back off the ground beneath your waist. If you are very stiff, you may need less support, but place it further away from the wall. The more flexible your hips, legs, and back, the taller a support you can tolerate and the closer you can approach the wall. You will want to experiment until you figure out what is most comfortable for you.
- A good starting point is to place your support half a foot away from the wall. Sit alongside the edge of your support with the right side of your body touching the wall. Breathe out and roll on your hips until your shoulder meets the ground. Roll on your back to the right, lifting your legs up onto the wall. Your head and shoulders will rest lightly on the ground and the arch in your back will be supported firmly. If your body moves off the support, you can modify its position to prevent this.
- Your hips will lie in the space between the support and the wall. Raise your head and let it sink straight down, making your neck a straight extension from your back. Inhale and allow your chest to rise and your ribs to expand. Let your shoulder blades separate to either direction away from your spine and let your arms and hands rest on the ground straight out from your sides.
- Slightly tense your legs to help keep them in place along the wall. Let the tops of your thighs relax. Turn your gaze toward your heart.
- Remain in this position for five minutes, breathing deeply and steadily. Over time you will be able to work your way up to a full 15 minutes in this pose.
- To release, move your body off the support by rolling onto your right side, lowering your legs to the ground. Remain on your side for a breath before inhaling as you sit back up. Use your arms to push your torso into a sitting position, with your left leg along the wall.
Disclaimer
In this article, I have shared Legs Up The Wall : Yoga For The Legs. The information included in this Blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed.
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