Already feeling a little upside down? Plow Pose is a great wind-down asana that gives you the calming benefits of inversions, with no handstands required — but still offering significantly more oomph than gentler inversions like Downward Dog or Bridge. It’s also versatile, with many options for modifying or deepening the pose to the challenge level that’s right for you.

Learn how to do Plow Pose (Halasana) with this step-by-step tutorial from Dylan Werner. This video tutorial will teach you the proper alignment and technique to help you safely move into Plow Pose.

Benefits of Plow Pose

Opens your neck, shoulders, and back
Helps calm your body down
Stretches your shoulders and spine
Massages digestive organs

How to Do Plow Pose

1.

Start on your back in a supine position. Elevate your hips over your shoulders and bring your hands to your low back for support.

2.

Squeeze your elbows together and press the back of your head into the mat to lengthen your neck.

3.

If you have enough flexibility in your hamstrings, extend your legs and bring your toes down toward the ground.

4.

Activate into your quads and press your heels away from you.

5.

Turn your gaze up between your legs or at your thighs.

Plow Pose Modifications

After lifting your hips, place a bolster or block under your sacrum — the wide bone at the base of your spine, not the tailbone.
Practice the pose against a wall.
Place a folded-up blanket under your shoulders (but not your head or neck) for extra support.

Plow Pose Contraindications

High blood pressure
Asthma
Neck injuries
Diarrhea
Pregnancy (if Plow Pose isn’t a regular part of your practice)
Some instructors will tell you to avoid inversions like Plow Pose if you’re menstruating, but others dispute this.

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