Pose Breakdown: Supported Shoulderstand
Ready to get upside down? Supported Shoulderstand Pose (Salamba Sarvangasana) is a calming inversion that still puts your muscles to work. Once you get the hang of it, it can help settle your mind and even assist with sleep.
This pose is pretty iconic — it’s one of the more recognizable advanced yoga postures, it’s part of the Ashtanga Primary Series, and it’s given a lot of weight by yogis that helped shape poses as we know them today.
“The importance of Sarvangasana cannot be overemphasized,” said yogi BKS Iyengar of an unsupported Shoulderstand in his seminal text Light on Yoga. “It is one of the greatest boons conferred on humanity by our ancient sages. Sarvangasana is the Mother of asanas. As a mother strives for harmony and happiness in the home, so this asana strives for the harmony and happiness of the human system.”
It might be life-changing for you, it might not be. Either way, Shoulderstand a fun and challenging pose with a lot of benefits! Just go slowly and be kind to your spine. Here, we outline a step-by-step Shoulderstand tutorial, as well as everything you need to know leading up to this peak pose.
Benefits of Supported Shoulderstand Pose
Tones leg and glute muscles
Stretches your neck and shoulders
Stimulates thyroid, prostate, and abdominal organs
Calms your mind and alleviates insomnia
Improves digestion
Contraindications
Avoid or speak with your doctor if you have any shoulder issues, spinal injuries, neck injuries, head injuries, or high blood pressure.
Warm-Up Poses for Supported Shoulderstand Pose
Sun Salutations
Bridge Pose
Legs Up a Wall
Fish Pose
How to Do Supported Shoulderstand Pose
Start on your back with your knees pulled in toward your chest.
Plant your hands flat down next to your hips.
Straighten your legs upward, then push down through your hands to lift your hips up, bringing your legs over your head.
Once your toes touch the ground, inch your shoulders one by one to rise up high onto the tips of your shoulders.
Place the palms of your hands as high as you can on the bottom part of your back ribs.
Squeeze your elbows in and make sure they are no wider than your shoulders.
Lengthen your neck and make sure not to turn your head at all while in this position.
Lift one leg up, and then the other. Lengthen from the elbows all the way up through the tips of your toes as you point them.
Squeeze your feet together, firm your inner thighs, and draw your navel and ribs inward.
Follow Up Poses for Supported Shoulderstand
Forward Fold
Child’s Pose
What does Salamba Sarvangasana Mean?
A regular, unsupported Shoulderstand is called just Sarvangasana: “Sarva” means “all” or “whole,” “anga” means “limb” or “body part,” and “asana” means “posture” or “seat.” That roughly translates to “Whole Body Pose” or “All Limbs Pose.”
“Salamba” means “with support.” Put it all together for something like “Supported Whole Body Pose” or “Supported All Limbs Pose.”
Want to try Supported Shoulderstand as part of the Ashtanga Primary Series? Laruga Glaser’s Ashtanga: Step By Step series is available for free with a 14-day trial to Alo Moves.