One of the biggest benefits that the plow pose in yoga brings to the human body is its ability to reduce back pain and improve sleep quality.
Plow Pose has the Sanskrit name Halasana. The name comes from the fact that the shape of this pose is very similar to the plow used in Tibet and India.
Plow pose is a yoga pose of medium difficulty, during practice, many yoga teachers recommend using a folded blanket placed under the shoulders to create more space for the neck so that the neck is not pressed. Compress and straighten the spine. Aside from this tip, what other tips are there for effective plow pose? Let’s see the sharing below with easyhealthylive.com to understand more about this pose.
What effect does the plow pose have on the body?
Plow pose can help stretch the shoulders, back, neck, hamstrings, and calves. In particular, this pose also helps stretch the muscles in the lower back, which is an area that few yoga moves affect. Therefore, this move is very helpful in reducing back pain. In addition, the plow pose can:
- Stimulates digestive organs, improves function and regulates appetite
- Regulate metabolism, help lose weight
- Supports the treatment of diabetes by regulating blood sugar
- Stimulating the reproductive system, supporting the treatment of infertility, reducing menopausal symptoms
- Reduce stress, fatigue, soothe the mind
- Repel aging, maintain youthful youthfulness
- Stretching the spine, helping the spine and neck become more flexible
- Protects spinal nerves, sympathetic nervous system and spinal cord.
How to perform the plow pose to achieve the best effect?
To successfully conquer the plow movement, you work hard to practice basic yoga movements to create a foundation for your body.
To do the plow pose, do:
- Lie on your back, if using a folded blanket for support, place your shoulders on the blanket, and your head and neck above the floor
- Place your hands on either side of your body, palms facing down. Press firmly on the palm and forearm to create leverage that lifts the leg 90 degrees and stops
- Then lift your butt and use your abs to bring your legs up over your head until your toes touch the floor at the back of your head. Keep your legs straight.
- Interlock your fingers and keep your arms straight.
- The hips should be in line above the shoulders, the back should not be arched and tilted back too much
- Once in the pose, do not turn your head to look around the room as this can be dangerous to the neck. Keep your neck straight and look up.
- Because the diaphragm is compressed, you may have difficulty breathing during the exercise. Try to hold the pose for about 5 deep breaths.
- To exit, first place your arms on the mat, palms facing down. Release your arms, lift your legs, and slowly lower each vertebra to the mat.
A note when practicing the plow movement
Plow pose is not for beginners. You need to regularly practice basic yoga poses so that your body has enough flexibility to perform this pose safely.
Plow pose can make the neck vulnerable if too much weight is placed on the top of the spine. Using a folded blanket can help protect your neck so that the weight is on your shoulders instead of your neck. If using a blanket for support, you should fold the blanket into a rectangle about the width of a yoga mat.
You can stack several thin blankets on top of each other if you want to add height. Then place the blanket at the end or in the center of the carpet. It is important that the shoulders are on the blanket and the head is on the mat. If you don’t like using a blanket, you need to find a way to make sure your shoulder blades are firmly planted on the mat to provide a foundation for your back when you get into plow pose.
Plow pose is not suitable for people with neck, shoulder, back injuries or chronic pain conditions. You should also avoid if you have glaucoma, after a bone graft, or have uncontrolled high blood pressure. Pregnant women should only practice if they have practiced yoga for a long time, and if they are just starting to get used to it, pregnant women should avoid doing this pose.
Plow pose is not suitable for pregnant women who are new to yoga
Variations of Plow Pose in Yoga
There are many ways to conquer this pose. If your legs can’t straighten over your head and touch the floor, you should avoid doing this because changing positions can put pressure on the cervical spine. Instead, try doing bridge pose or leg up the wall pose. Once you have mastered the plow pose, you can move on to conquer the candle pose and the king plow pose (Karnapidasana).
Above is some useful information about the plow pose that easyhealthylive.com has collected. This is a difficult pose, so if you want to try it, it’s best to follow the instructions of a professional yoga teacher.
Reference source
How to Do Plow Pose (Halasana) in Yoga https://www.verywellfit.com/plow-pos-halasana-3567105 Access date: 11/26/2020
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.