Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose)
Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose) is considered by many Yogis as one of the best backbends in Yoga practice. If you do it properly and balance well in this backbend, you are bound to feel an enormous calm after coming out of it, because you will really have opened up your chest and stretched your whole body to the limit.
How to do Upward Facing Two Foot Staff Pose
1. Start the pose as you would in Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose), lying flat on your back, feet flat on your mat. Spread your feet slightly wider than your hips and see that your heels are right under your knees. Fold your arms and rest both palms flat on the floor from behind and next to your ears, shoulder-width apart. Your fingertips should be facing your shoulders. Take a breather and tune in to what’s happening.
2. With a deep exhalation, gently raise both knees and, as you straighten your arms, lift your hips, head and shoulders from off your mat. Broaden and draw the shoulder blades toward your tail bone to raise them and to ease the load on your arms.
3. Bend both arms and rest the crown of your head between both hands and feet. Make sure that your elbows are shoulder-width apart and right above your wrists. With a deep exhalation, press your hands into your mat, and again pull your shoulder blades toward the tail bone, to ensure that your neck does not compress. Your chest should be open and upraised.
4. Now, exhale and slide any hand past an ear and cup the back of your head, shifting your body weight onto one forearm. Do the same action with your other arm, interlocking the fingers behind your head.
5. Exhale strongly and heave your chest to lift your head from off the floor. As it rises, press down your inner heels.
6. The pose might really be easier if you can’t lift your head, as this movement will allow your upper arms to fully support your weight. This further lessens the pressure on your muscles. Keep your weight distributed evenly between booth elbows and wrists to avoid any extension. Also, do not let your elbows separate more than shoulder-width.
7. Pressing both elbows firmly into your floor, draw the shoulder blades toward the tailbone, once more, and again rest the crown of your head on your mat in the cup of your interlocked hands.
8. Hold the pose for 15 – 30 seconds.
9. Exit the pose very carefully. First, move both feet back under the knees. Keep resting on the crown of your head and place your palms back on your mat beside your ears. Push with both hands and raise your head and tuck in your tail bone and chin as you gently let your spine fall back on your mat; your tail bone should touch the mat last. Slow down your breathing, till you are completely relaxed and feel the calm once more. This is the result of balanced backbends.
Benefits of Upward Facing Two Foot Staff Pose
- Opens up the chest, stretches and strengthens the front of the whole body and the spine
Upward Facing Two Foot Staff Pose Contraindications
- Best avoid in cases of injuries to the shoulders, wrists, neck or lower back
