physical trainer with 20 years of experience
“The Inverted Elbow Pose, also known as Pincha Mayurasana in yoga, is not only an impressive skill, but also an important exercise for developing strength, balance and concentration. This exercise has many benefits for the body and mind. Let’s look together at how to properly prepare for a position, perform it and avoid injuries and mistakes.”
Read more about the benefits of inverted yoga poses here:
What are the benefits of inverted yoga asanas? Why do you need a headstand or upside down dog?
What is important to know before mastering the pose?
Before starting to master the elbow position, it is important to pay attention to the preparatory stages, that is, strengthening the muscles, developing balance and flexibility of the shoulders.
The reverse elbow shoulder workout performs several key functions that are important for both beginners and experienced practitioners. Proper exercises will help strengthen the muscles of the shoulder girdle, develop stability, flexibility and balance, which are important for safely and effectively performing inverted yoga poses.
These are the main reasons to include shoulder exercises in your inverted elbow stance practice.
Strength development. Powerful shoulders provide the support needed to support body weight in inverted postures. This helps reduce the risk of injury and increases the time the posture can be held. Strong muscles properly distribute body weight, reducing stress on the neck and spine.
Develop flexibility and range of motion. Regular training increases flexibility and range of motion in the shoulder joints, which is important for performing elbow poses and other inverted asanas. Shoulder flexibility reduces the risk of tightness and pain associated with limited movement during practice.
Improved balance and coordination. Shoulder-to-elbow exercises require precise muscle control, which helps develop better coordination. The ability to balance in an inverted position requires the development of an intuitive sense of balance, which is directly dependent on the strength and stability of the shoulders.
Photo: istockphoto.com/fizkes
How to strengthen the core, abdominal and shoulder muscles?
The plank exercise is perfect for these purposes. There are several variations of execution, but we will see the two most common.
classic plank
Execution technique
Starting position: lying face down. Place your palms on the floor directly below your shoulders, fingers pointing forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles by rising on your toes and stretching your arms so that your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Avoid raising your hips too much or lowering them too much. Keep your head in a neutral position, looking at the ground in front of you. This will help prevent tension in the neck muscles and maintain even, calm breathing. Don’t hold it, as proper breathing helps better stabilize your core muscles. Try holding the plank for 20 seconds to a minute, gradually increasing the time as your fitness improves.
Photo: istockphoto.com / Anatoliyk
Side board
A powerful exercise to strengthen the lateral abdominal muscles and core muscles, develop shoulder strength and improve overall balance.
Execution technique
Starting position: lying on your side – lie on both sides, leaning on your forearm, which should be strictly under the shoulder. The legs should be extended and bent together, one on top of the other. Lift your hips off the floor, resting them on the edge of your foot and forearm. The body should form a straight line from head to heels. Shoulders, hips and legs should be aligned. The upper arm can be extended upward, perpendicular to the body, or placed sideways for stability. Keep your core tight and breathe evenly. Focus on keeping your abdominal muscles tight, this will help you maintain balance and increase the effectiveness of the exercise. Try to hold the position for 20 seconds to a minute, gradually increasing the time with practice. Gently lower yourself to the floor, turn to the other side and repeat the exercise.
Photo: istockphoto.com/fizkes
Lizards
Execution technique
Lie face down on the floor with your palms shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. The arms should be straight. Your legs are also stretched and together, your feet on tiptoe and your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Tighten your core to prevent your hips from sagging or jutting out. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering your body until your chest or chin almost touches the floor. Your elbows should point back at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to your body. Using your chest and arm muscles, raise your body to the starting position, fully straightening your arms. Keep your body straight and core tight throughout the movement. Inhale on the descent and exhale on the ascent. Proper breathing will help concentrate efforts and improve blood circulation. Start with 10 push-ups and gradually increase the number.
Photo: istockphoto.com/fizkes
How to strengthen your wrists?
Pay attention to strengthening your wrists. The hands and forearms are usually a weak point when it comes to mastering the elbow position, since the joint between them is susceptible to injury. To avoid risks, it is necessary to warm up the wrist joints well before performing the pose.
Take one kilogram dumbbells, spread your arms in front of you and turn your palms down. Start with gentle extensions and then move on to more vigorous wrist extensions. Perform at least 30 of these movements. Turn your hands, palms up, in a supination position. Perform wrist flexes following the same technique, make circular movements with your hands, do it gently, avoiding sudden movements. At least 50 repetitions. Put the dumbbells aside and grab one forearm with your other hand, rub it intensely in circular motions, spending two minutes on each hand. Bring your hands together, interlace your fingers, and rotate your hands for one minute in each direction. .
Do these exercises regularly to avoid injuring yourself while standing on your elbows.
Follow the link to read more about how to perform a headstand:
Video
Learning to do a handstand. 4 preparatory exercises
Preparatory exercise
Sirsasana
Execution technique
Get on your knees and place your elbows on the floor. Place your palms on top of your head, interlocking your fingers, and spread your elbows out to the sides. Lean forward, touching the floor with your forearms and head, while the point of contact with the floor should be slightly higher than your forehead. good extension of the neck and the tendency of the shoulders towards the pelvis. Stretch your legs, stand on your toes and reach as close to your arms and head as possible, trying to lift your pelvis above your head and keeping your spine straight. When your legs are as close to your head as possible and you feel that most of your body weight is distributed over your forearms, carefully lift one leg off the floor, bending it at the knee, and try to bring your knee closer to your chest and your heel to your chest. the buttocks. This will increase the load on your arms, lower the raised leg towards the ground and repeat the same movement with the other leg. Avoid straight-leg lifts and sudden swings, as this can create momentum that will push you back and cause you to fall. Alternating legs, continue doing the exercise until you feel confident that you can bend both legs and pull them toward your stomach. In this position, the heels tend toward the buttocks and the pelvis is directly above the head. This represents the initial stage of the headstand, this posture helps to develop the ability to maintain balance, transfer most of the weight to the arms, maintain the correct position of the shoulders, pelvis and neck, and also promotes the extension of the column. Straighten your legs, stay in a bent-leg position until you feel completely confident in your balance, and then carefully begin to lift your legs. First, move your hips away from your stomach, placing them parallel to the floor or a little higher. Little by little, straighten your legs, reducing the angle of your knees, and raise them until they form a straight line with your body. Press your forearms against your abdomen. floor, trying to bring the shoulders closer to the pelvis, contract the stomach and pelvis, lift the toes.
Try holding sirsasana for 30 seconds. Over time, you will be able to increase the stop duration to 1-3 minutes.
Photo: istockphoto.com/fizkes
Technique to perform an elbow stop.
Once you have confidently mastered the headstand, you can move on to learning the elbowstand. The technique of performing the asana is similar to the previous one, only the initial position changes.
Execution technique
Starting position: standing on all fours. Place your elbows in front of you so that your forearms are parallel to each other and your fingers are well spaced. Straighten your legs and place them on your toes, trying to stretch your pelvis up. If you confidently enter the headstand, lift your toes. off the floor and gradually raise your pelvis and hips to a vertical position. If you find the headstand difficult, we recommend that you first master this asana and only then move on to master the elbow stand. We describe the preparatory steps for mastering the inverted balance pose above.
Important! Inverted yoga poses are difficult to perform. We recommend that you learn them under the supervision of an experienced instructor to avoid falls and injuries.
Photo: istockphoto.com/fizkes
Benefit
A rush of blood to the head renews brain cells and increases mental activity. Blood flow to the pituitary gland and pineal gland in the brain affects physical and mental state. Hormonal balance is improved. The pressure on the venous vessels is reduced, which is useful for varicose veins. Rejuvenation processes begin, changing the flow of energy in the body. The body cleanses itself of toxins by activating the lymphatic system. Improves metabolism. It positively affects women’s health, normalizing the menstrual cycle. The parasympathetic nervous system is activated, which is involved in relaxation and self-regulation. Relieves nervous tension, stress and anxiety. Improves lung function. Helps cope with fatigue and insomnia.
Contraindications
High blood pressure Diseases of the cardiovascular system Diseases of the shoulder and elbow joints.
Photo: istockphoto.com / FilippoBacci
Mastering the Reverse Elbow Pose is not only about an impressive physical achievement, but also a journey of self-discovery, confidence, and patience. Remember that each practice brings you closer to your goal, each fall teaches you how to get up and each attempt makes you a master of your body and mind. Give yourself time, evaluate your progress and enjoy every moment of the journey.
Being prone on your elbows is not only a demonstration of strength and balance, but also a sign that you are capable of reaching heights you could only dream of. Keep practicing, keep a positive attitude and you will definitely achieve what you want, opening up new horizons of possibilities.
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