Wheel Pose
Chakrasana
Teacher: James
Wheel Pose is a deeply invigorating backbend that awakens your entire body, challenging your strength and flexibility while leaving you feeling wildly liberated.
Wheel Pose, or Chakrasana, is the ultimate expression of full-body openness and vulnerability. As a deep, foundational backbend, it physically stretches the entire front line of the body, from your hip flexors all the way up through your chest and shoulders, while simultaneously demanding intense power from your arms, legs, and core. Practicing this pose in the nude takes that expansive feeling to an entirely new level, removing the physical restrictions of clothing to allow for an unhindered, euphoric stretch that radiates energy outward. It’s a dynamic posture that builds profound physical strength and cultivates deep emotional resilience.
Beyond its breathtaking physical benefits, Chakrasana is steeped in energetic significance. The name stems from the Sanskrit word “chakra,” meaning “wheel” or “circle,” perfectly reflecting the beautiful, continuous arch your body creates. Interestingly, in traditional yoga philosophy, this pose is uniquely celebrated for its ability to ignite all seven major chakras along the spine, while particularly supercharging the heart (Anahata) chakra. When you lift into Wheel, you aren’t just stretching muscles; you are flipping your perspective upside down, stimulating your nervous system, and inviting a rush of pure, unadulterated vitality into your practice.
Wheel Pose Steps
Teacher: Steph
Step 1
Start by lying all the way down on your back.
Step 2
Bend your knees and plant the feet so that your fingertips can skim your heels. Knees are hip-distance apart.
Step 3
Start to open up the hip to the right until the hips are stacked, and bend the right knee.
Step 4
Teacher: Pasquale
Bend your elbows and place your palms down on the mat behind your shoulders, so that the fingertips are pointing towards your shoulders. Make sure the hands are aligned with the shoulders, not too wide or narrow as this will cause you to feel unbalanced in the pose.
Step 5
Before pressing all the way up, bring the crown of your head to the mat, using your hands as a support, not putting too much weight on your head and neck. Make sure the elbows are parallel with each other and not splaying out.
Step 6
Start to push down through the hands and straighten out the arms. Press down through the feet and send the hips up towards the sky.
Step 7
Take a few deep breaths in the pose before coming down, landing first with your shoulders and then rolling down one vertebra at a time.
Modifications
One Legged Wheel Pose variation | Teacher: Maury
Start with these poses: Before trying the full pose, start with Bridge Pose, Bow Pose, and Half Wheel Pose in order to increase flexibility in the back and front body.
Wall support: Try using the wall as a support while you gain confidence in the pose. Stand a few feet away from a wall, facing away. On an inhale, sweep your arms up. On the exhale, start to bend backward in the upper body and send the hips forward, eventually finding the wall with your hands. Only stand as far away from the wall as you can in order to feel stable and supported by the wall.
Blocks for support: You can place blocks underneath the hands if you cannot quite reach the floor.
Ready for the next step? One Legged Wheel Pose builds upon wheel pose by lifting one leg up testing your stability and balance.
Benefits
• Stretches the entire front body and spine
• Strengthens the legs, glutes, arms, and shoulders
Cautions
• Shoulder injury
• Back injury
• Wrist injury
• Vertigo or ear infection
• Heart disease
• High or low blood pressure
• Avoid during pregnancy
