Great Plow Pose

How to do Great Plow Pose

1. 1Lie flat on your back with your legs together and your arms resting alongside your torso, palms facing down.
2. 2Engage your lower abdominal wall and lift your legs smoothly overhead on an exhale, taking your hips off the floor.
3. 3Walk your shoulders gently underneath you to ensure your weight rests across the shoulder blades and outer arms rather than your cervical spine.
4. 4Lower your toes to the floor behind your head with straight knees, pressing the balls of your feet into the ground.
5. 5Walk your feet even further away from your torso to deepen the extension along the spine and back of your legs.
6. 6Reach your arms overhead past your ears toward your toes, clasping your big toes or interlacing your fingers behind your back if stable.
7. 7Hold the shape steadily for five to ten breaths, keeping space between your chin and sternum.
8. 8Release your hands, support your lower back, and roll slowly down through each vertebra with control.

Benefits

• Deeply stretches the entire posterior chain from the calves to the upper back.
• Decompresses the lumbar and thoracic spine when supported properly by the shoulder girdle.
• Stimulates abdominal organs and supports digestion through gentle compression.
• Expands shoulder flexibility and opens the thoracic spine.
• Calms the autonomic nervous system by encouraging an introspective, restful state.

Common mistakes and cues

• Weight on the neck

  Keep the load firmly distributed across your shoulders and upper back rather than letting the cervical spine take the pressure.

• Turning the head

  Keep your gaze fixed upward or toward your navel and avoid turning your neck while in the inversion.

• Collapsing the chest

  Maintain lift through your thoracic spine and back ribs so your breath remains open and unconstricted.

• Bending the knees prematurely

  Active engagement through your quadriceps helps keep your legs straight and relieves excess compression in the lower back.

Modifications and props

• Folded blankets under shoulders

  Place two to three folded blankets beneath your shoulders to elevate them and preserve the natural curve of your neck.

• Toes on a chair

  Rest your feet on the seat of a sturdy chair behind you if your hamstrings prevent your feet from touching the floor comfortably.

• Hands supporting the back

  Keep your palms firmly pressed into your mid-to-lower back instead of extending your arms to stabilize your torso.

• Strap around elbows

  Loop a yoga strap around your upper arms just above the elbows to prevent your shoulders from splaying outward.

Cautions

• Neck injuries and disc issues

  Avoid this deep flexion inversion if you have active cervical spine conditions, herniated discs, or osteoporosis.

• High blood pressure and glaucoma

  Do not hold this posture if you have unmanaged hypertension or increased intraocular pressure.

• Late pregnancy

  Avoid deep inverted folds in the second and third trimesters to prevent compression on the abdomen and major blood vessels.

If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.

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