[Pose Of the Week] Fly Away From Back Pain In Superman Pose (Intermediate)
Strengthen your back, improve posture, reduce stress, and more with Superman Pose!
Superman Pose (Viparita Shalabhasana) is often confused with Reverse Locust Pose or Flying Locust Pose, as it shares the same Sanskrit name. However, this pose is a more beginner-to-intermediate level version that will help you build the back strength necessary to tackle the more difficult variations. This prone yoga pose helps to strengthen the back muscles as well as the legs, hamstrings, and glutes, while stimulating the abdominal organs. It also stretches the muscles of the chest, shoulders, and arms, tones the core, and is believed to improve circulation.
This is a great pose to do if you spend a lot of time sitting and experience tightness and stiffness in the back, so it’s great to do as part of an evening yoga sequence. It also helps to strengthen the back and core muscles, thus improving posture and reducing the risk of injury and the likelihood of chronic back pain. Superman Pose may also help to reduce stress, calm and focus the mind, and improve self confidence, and is believed to help balance the heart, throat, and solar plexus chakra.
To modify the pose if you are feeling pain in the lower back, keep your toes on the floor, and simply focus on lifting the chest. You may also hold a yoga block between your palms as you lift your arms to help keep the arms together and further strengthen the shoulders and chest.
Those with severe back or neck injuries, or who have had recent abdominal surgery or are pregnant should avoid this pose.
How to Do Superman Pose:
1.) Begin by lying on your belly facing the front of your mat. Bring your forehead down to the floor or a yoga block. Extend your arms by your side, placing the palms in contact with the floor.
2.) Extend your arms forward with your biceps pressed against your ears. Press the tips of your feet into the ground, engaging through the legs and gluteal muscles.
3.) On an inhale, lift from your chest, raising your palms away from the floor, at the same time lift your feet, engaging your gluteals and leg muscles. Lengthen your neck forward and slightly. Reach forward through the center of your chest as you lengthen the belly muscles and pull the navel towards the spine.
4.) Lengthen your neck forward and slightly. Reach forward through the center of your chest as you lengthen the belly muscles and pull the navel towards the spine. Focus on creating a long line from your hip to your shoulder.
5.) To exit the pose, simply lower yourself back down to the mat.
6.) Rest in Child’s Pose for a few breaths to release the back.
Read More at YogaPose.com, or watch a demo here…
