The Wheel Pose (Chakrasana): A Path to Greater Strength and Flexibility

Do you know surprising fact of wheel pose?. If you proper daily practice of wheel pose. It can be improve 28% flexibility in the legs and hips.

In yoga tradition, many types of Wheel pose (Chakrasana) available. Yogachari provide basic style of wheel pose and explain detail with backed by science and give detail analysis of each point and step by step guide. So let’s start journey with yogachari.

History of wheel pose:

The wheel pose another name is Chakrasana. Generally Chakrasana word derived from krishana chakra. these is a fundamental pose of yoga. It is origin develope form ancient to morden India. After popular in India and then western countries research on yoga.some time, Chakrasana is famous in western countries like america, Canada, Germany etc…

Origin of Chakrasana:

• Pre vedic period: Chakrasana word not directly mentioned in textbook. But describe as a unknown pose with different style. In hatha yoga pradipika provide details meaning of asana but Chakrasana word mention. Provide same but different way to asana.
• Morden development of wheel pose: Time to time yoga more developed including textbook, dynamic pose and breathing exercises. Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita provide many dynamic pose with detail description of style and different form.
• Early 20 century: Tirumalai Krishnamacharya is a father of morden yoga tradition. He is include yoga with discipline. This personality is famous for teching of hatha yoga and vinayasa yoga. Tirumalai provide proper instructions of dynamic yoga pose specially including Chakrasana.
• Global popularity: B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois are famous personalities in the yoga tradition. These people helped formalize sequences that included the Wheel Pose as a key backend. In Western countries, Chakrasana is used as a key symbol of the yoga studio and foundation pose of many yoga styles.
• Spiritual significance: Chakrasana is closely associated with chakra position. Wheel symbol represent center energy flow in body. If you control flow of energy at that time Chakrasana help to activate heart chakra (Anahata).

Steps of Chakrasana(wheel pose):

If you start performing wheel pose at that time follow 12 steps. I give guarantee to better result in few times.

1. Starting with relaxation: Starting with relaxation that means first complete relax your body. Take 5 to 6 deep breath and then clear nagative thoughts in your mind.
2. Bend Your Knees: try to Slowly bend your knees, bringing your feet flat on the floor near your hips.Your feet should be about hip-width apart, and your toes pointing forward.
3. Hand position: try slowly slowly lift your arm and place your palm position near head. Your fingers should point toward your shoulders.and then your elbows should be bent and pointing upward side.Your hands position must be shoulder-width apart.
4. Engage Your Muscles: Press your feet firmly into the ground, activating your leg muscles. Try to hands pressed down into the floor as well. Engage your core muscles to help uplift and support your body during the movement upward side.
5. Hips lifting: first inhale your breath. Apply force in your hands and feet, and Start to slowly lift your hips off the floor. As you lift, feel the stretch through your spine and engage your lower back muscles in body.
6. Lift the Upper Body: Continue apply force on your hands, And then try to gradually lifting your lower back, mid-back, and upper back off the floor. Keep lifting your hips higher as you raise your chest upward position.
7. Full wheel pose: After complete hips are lifted, straighten your arms completely to form a full backbend position. Try to head hanging between your arms, but ensure your neck feels comfortable and no force apply in breath. Make sure to maintain the arch position in your spine. Keeping your feet firmly touch the floor.
8. Adjust Your Position: Make small improvement in your hands and feet if needed for balance.Your thighs should remain parallel position, and then your knees should not splay outward. If they do, focus on keeping your feet and legs align position. Distribute your body weight proper way to both hands and feet.
9. Engage and Breathe: try to Breathe inhale with deep and then expanding your chest with each inhale and maintaining stability as you breath exhale. Stay in the pose for 5 to 10 breaths. Accordingly to your comfort level and breathing condition give perfect time for breath and wheel pose.
10. Holding the Pose: Keep your arms and legs active, making sure they are straight and engaged. Relax your head and neck, allowing them to hang naturally, but avoid putting too much pressure on your neck.
11. Rest in Shavasana: after complete wheel pose, try shavasana for body rest and active force replacement in body. Allow your breath return completely and muscle relex.
12. Repeat (Optional): based on your body flexibility and strength try Wheel pose. In my opinion try 2 to 3 round try.

Wheel pose video:

Science of wheel pose:

Benefits of wheel pose:

Spine:

1. Stretch and Flexibility: The Wheel Pose stretches the spine by extending the vertebrae and creating space between the discs. This types stretch can be enhances flexibility and promoting a healthy spinal cord.
2. Alignment and Posture: Performing the Chakrasana pose at that time maintain body shape with align. This pose develope perfect arc shap of upper body part and remove pain in spinal cord.
3. Impact of neurones: The spinal extension opens in the thoracic region of the brain. This can stimulate nerves in the spine. These are associated with the parasympathetic nervous system of the body. This can improve batter relaxation and a reduction in stress levels.

Shoulders and Arms:

1. Strengthening Muscles: Supporting your body weight and strength in the Wheel Pose requires significant engagement of the deltoids, triceps, and rotator cuff muscles. It can help in building upper body strength and enhancing mobility in the shoulder-arm joints.
2. Stretching: The wheel pose stretches the pectoralis major muscles, opening some pressure in the chest area and allowing for improved lung capacity. This is especially beneficial for those with tight shoulders or chest from secondary activities like typing or driving.
3. Joint Stability: Holding the pose places controlled pressure on the shoulder joints and improving joint mobility and reducing stiffness from time to time.

Chest and Lungs:

• Expansion of the Ribcage: The deep stretch in the chest opens the ribcage and diaphragm. In simple way increasing lung capacity of body according to your strength. This wheel pose allows for deeper breathing in body. this pose increase oxygen intake.
• Cardiovascular Benefits: This pose can increase lung capacity. The Chakrasana Pose can lead to a better oxygenation supply of blood. This point can improve cardiovascular function.
• Activation of the Heart Chakra: according to yogic philosophy, the chest-opening aspect of Chakrasana is said to activate the heart chakra (Anahata). Generally, meaning of activation is encouraging emotional release and promoting feelings of openness.

Neck and Head:

1. Cervical Spine Engagement: The neck experiences a backward extension during perform Wheel Pose. This can be help in stretch the cervical spine, improving flexibility and relieving tension in the neck side muscles.
2. Improved Blood Flow to the Brain: During pose, When the chest is fully open and the head is tilted back side. This can be supply more oxygen-rich blood flows to the brain, which can be enhance cognitive function and promote reduce mental stiffness.
3. Precaution for the Neck: It is important to be mindful of neck position while performing this pose to avoid harmful strain on the cervical spine, which can be sensitive in some individuals. Ensure perform according to your body strength. Every person has different strengths.

Legs:

1. Strengthening the Quadriceps and Hamstrings: Holding the Wheel Pose at that time engages both the quadriceps and hamstrings. This pose helps in strengthening many type muscles. which is important for maintaining balance and different posture in body.

• Calf and Ankle Engagement: generally work The calves and ankles are engaged to maintain stability and balance of body structure. Which strengthens them over time to time. This can help improve overall leg mobility and reduce the risk of injury in joint areas.

• Increased Flexibility: generally different types of Stretching the hip flexors and engaging the leg muscles increase flexibility in the lower body. Provide better range of motion and more fluid movements during everyday activities.

Precaution during wheel pose:

1. Before starting vakrasana at least try to best warm-up excercise releted to legs, shoulder, chest etc.. try different warm-up excercise like downward facing dog, cat cow pose etc..
2. if you have any type of spinal issue at that time without consulting docter, do not try Chakrasana pose. Try some alternative like bridge pose etc..
3. If you are in beginner stage at that time do not try Chakrasana pose 100%. Chakrasana pose required balance and equal weight distribution of body. So without yoga instructor do not try high level pose.
4. Person coming from any heart problem and blood pressure problem. So my humble request to do not try wheel pose because starting of wheel pose at that time rapid changes in blood flow in heart. Should be try alternate pose like cobra pose etc..
5. Pregnant women do not try wheel pose because rapid changes of hormones and blood in body.

REFERENCE:

1. A Study on the Effects of Yoga on Flexibility and Strength in University Students.Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness (2021)
2. Journal of Orthopedic Research (2019). Therapeutic Effects of Yoga in Managing Low Back Pain: A Comprehensive Review.
3. International Journal of Yoga Therapy (2020). Impact of Yoga on Musculoskeletal Health: Focus on Back-Bending Asanas.
4. International Journal of Yoga (2022). Cardiorespiratory and Psychological Benefits of Practicing Urdhva Dhanurasana.
5. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2018). The Role of Urdhva Dhanurasana in Improving Core Stability and Posture.

FAQs:

Conclusion:

Wheel pose required proper guidance so at that time yogachari provide complete back-by-back guidance in a scientific way. No required additional yoga instructor. Yogachari used research paper by research concept of wheel pose. Most important fact is wheel pose increase flexibility of body. So this things is most important. Many different types of wheel pose available in yoga industry but yogachari provide basic type of wheel pose information.

thank you read yogachari article.

have nice journey with yoga.