How to do Salamba Sarvangasana Pose: Caution & Benefits

by Nikitha · November 27, 2015

With the internet being used by majority of people, learning yoga has become much easier than ever before. Practicing yoga is very essential in today’s busy life as it helps in making your body healthy and revitalized, and your mind and soul alert. Yoga helps you lead a healthy life and protects you from various diseases. A complete yoga session consists of warm up exercises, breathing exercises, asanas, prayers and meditation.

Salamba Sarvangasana is a type of yoga that is considered as one of the advanced forms of yoga asanas. This pose is also known as shoulder stand or the supported shoulder stand pose. This term ‘salamba’ is derived from the Sanskrit word, which means ‘with support”. ‘Sarva’ in Sanskrit means ‘all’ and ‘anga’ means limb. Asana means pose in Sanskrit language.

Steps to do Salamba Sarvangasana or Supported Shoulder Stand Pose:

Take two thick blankets and fold them. Put one folded blanket over the other and then put both of them on your yoga mat.
Now you have to lie on the yoga mat. Place your head on the floor and your shoulders on the blanket so that your shoulders are well supported by the folded blankets. Keep your arms on your sides on the mat.
Next you have to try and lift your legs in the upward direction. As you lift your legs, you can use your hands to support the movement. To offer support, fold your hands at the elbow and place your hands at your back in such a way that your palms rest on your back and offer support for the upward movement of the legs.
As you move your legs upwards, remember to keep your legs straight. Do not bend your legs at the knee. Stretch them properly.
After your legs are up in the air, try and make them in line with the body. Stretch your legs as much as you can.
Remain in this positions for about 30 seconds and then get back to the original position. You can gradually add 5 to 10 seconds each day so that you can stay in this pose for 3 to 5 minutes.
To come down from the pose, you have to bend your knees and then move your legs slowly to the floor.
You can repeat this pose 5 times.

In the beginning you may not be able to perform it well. So, start with half shoulder stand, by bringing your knees on your forehead. Slowly you can rise up your legs and extend your legs high up in the air.

Cautions and Contraindications:

If you are suffering from diarrhea, you must not practice this asana. Similarly, if you have frequent headaches, you must refrain from doing this asana, as it can make things worse for you. If you are suffering from high blood pressure or low blood pressure, you better not practice this yoga pose. During the menstruation periods also it is not good to practice this asana. You must not practice this yoga if you have had a neck injury or a neck surgery recently, as it can injure your neck further. Pregnant women are also advised not to practice Salamba Sarvangasana. This yoga is an advanced form of yoga and therefore you must always perform it under the guidance of a yoga instructor. If you have any medical issues, you must consult your doctor or yoga teacher before you start practicing yoga asana.

Benefits of Salamba Sarvangasana:

Salamba Sarvangasana offers you a lot of benefits.

Practicing this yoga is an excellent way to balance your body.
This pose reverses the action of gravity on the body. So, the blood and lymph will flow in the opposite directions.
By practicing this yoga regularly you will have a more flexible body and your endurance power is also increased.
If you are suffering from stress and depression, this yoga can help you get rid of such symptoms.
It also good for stimulating the thyroid glands and improves the functioning of these glands.
You can have well toned abdominal muscles by practicing this yoga.
Practicing salamba sarvangasana is an excellent way to increase the circulation of blood in your brain and head. This helps in increasing the functioning of your brain.
Your digestive system will also function better by doing this asana.
Daily practice of this yoga asana helps in toning your buttocks and legs.
This asana is also good for getting relief from symptoms of menopause.
You can reduce fatigue with regular practice of this asana.
Practicing this asana provides a good stretch to your shoulders and the legs and it is also good for those who are looking for a way to lose weight effectively.
Salamba Sarvangasana is also beneficial on emotional grounds as it helps you to see things from a different angle.
This asana helps in boosting your confidence and so you will be able to perform better.
Doing this yoga asana takes off the pressure on heart and so your heart can pump blood to your brain with little effort.
If you are suffering from respiratory tract disorders, practice this asana regularly. This is because it helps in improving the functioning of your lungs by increasing the flow of blood to the lung area.

If you are doing this asana at home, you have to practice it under an intermediate yoga practitioner. Else you can consult an experienced and qualified yoga teacher and learn the basics of yoga asanas from him and then move on to Salamba Sarvangasana.

By following the steps given above, you will be able to do it in the proper way. In the beginning you may find it hard to do this pose. But with regular practice you will be able to master this yoga pose and perform it effortlessly.