Back bending requires a thorough warm-up to help you enter the Pose safely and to help you deepen it with every hold. Your warm-up should include the spine, but you will also need to warm up the supporting structures. For Wheel Pose specifically, you need to warm up your shoulders, wrists, hips, and core.
After a backbend, such as a Wheel, the body needs to be stretched out for a few minutes. Before you stretch your legs out, there should be a slight twisting of the spine to help relieve it.
You can build a sequence based on Wheel Pose to use it as your peak pose.
Wheel Pose Sequencing
Start with baby backbends, which will stretch your abdomen and chest and engage the muscles in the back. Try Sphinx and Baby Cobra. Each of these postures should be held for two breaths, followed by a relaxation to the belly.
Then, stretch your spine for five deep breaths in Downward Facing Dog, then hold Plank for five breaths to activate your core. Finally, take a Vinyasa and land in a seated posture. Stretch your shoulders out by doing Eagle Arms to each side, followed by a Triceps Stretch. Place one hand on the upper back and the other on your raised elbow.
Release your arms and spend five breaths in Boat Pose to continue igniting your abdominal and back muscles. Come back to your belly and hold each of the following back bends for three breaths, coming back down to your belly between each one to reset: Locust, bound-hands in Locust, and Bow Pose.
Stretch it out in Downward Facing Dog for five breaths, hold Plank for five breaths, take one Vinyasa, and land in a seated position so you can recline to Bridge Pose for five breaths to open the front of your hips.
Release and take your Wheel Pose. Hold for as long as you can before coming back to a Reclined Twist for five breaths on each side.
Squeeze your knees together and pull them into your chest. To reverse the backbend, turn your spine around and open your shoulders up.
End with Happy Baby to compress the hips and relax your lower back.
If you thought there was only one way to sequence around Wheel Pose, think again! Check back next week for another fun way to get into the Pose.
How often do you practice Wheel Pose? What is your favorite thing about Wheel Pose? Comment below and let us know!
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