Enter
- Lie face down with your legs straight and together.
- Reach your arms backward alongside your torso.
- Exhale and lift your head, chest, and legs together.
- Lift your hands, keeping your abdomen grounded.
Steps
Support
Abdomen; chest, legs, and hands lifted.
Hold
- Keep your thighs, knees, and ankles together.
- Straighten your legs and point your feet backward.
- Distribute the backbend throughout your spine, reaching your breastbone forward.
- Reach your arms toward your feet without grounding your hands.
Exit
- Slowly lower your chest, arms, and legs.
- Rest face down with your cheek on your arms.
- Breathing
- Exhale as you lift; breathe normally while holding.
- Gaze
- Look toward the floor, keeping the back of your neck long.
- Duration
- 20–30 seconds.
Adapt
Adaptations
- Grounded legsLift only your chest and arms; keep your legs grounded.
- Hand assistancePress your palms beside your waist to begin lifting your chest.
- BlanketPlace a folded blanket under your pelvic bones.
- CushionsSupport your torso on cushions before lifting your chest and legs.
Variations
- Chin-grounded variation: chin grounded, arms underneath; lift both legs.
- Ardha Śalabhāsana: lift one leg; keep the other grounded.
- Arms forward.
Signals of effort
- Chest and legs lifted without assistance from the hands.
- Variations: grounded chin and breath retention.