2 Upside Down Yoga Poses

Upside down yoga poses, or inversions, are a staple in yoga. Inverting involves turning the body upside down or making sure the head is below the heart. If you have never practiced inverted yoga poses before, you are missing out.

Inverted Yoga Poses

Inverting will help to stimulate the nervous system and allow blood flow and oxygen to reach the brain, boost the metabolic rate, increase energy levels, exercise the core, help aid circulation and wok the lymphatic system. Inversions can be a little daunting for those that are new to yoga but they are worth it to try. Before trying inversions, be sure you are physically able and healthy enough to try these types of yoga poses.

If you already are interested in these types of poses, get started and have fun. Be sure to take time, practice and build your foundation so you can make your way to more complicated inversions.

1. Downward Facing Dog

The downward dog is perhaps one of the more simple inversions. Many people that are new to yoga thing that the downward dog isn’t a complete inversion because they aren’t completely upside down. During downward dog, your head is just under your heart and your body begins to engage in an inverted position.

To execute the downward dog pose, start with your hands and feet on the mat. Bring your toes under you and place your hips towards your heels. Work on your core and lift your hips into the air.

Walk your feet towards the back and fully bring yourself into the pose. Press firmly into the front of the mat with your hands then bring your weight towards the legs and hold for 5 – 8 breaths.

2. The Dolphin Pose

The dolphin pose is a great way to practice inversion as it helps you to gain strength in your core and upper body. This pose is a bit more inverted than the downward dog and is a great way to get better at inversions.

Begin with all fours and your elbows on the mat. Keep your wrists and elbows aligned and press your forefingers and thumbs down. Lift your back and hips up like we did in downward dog and hold the pose for 5 – 8 breaths.

These two poses are fairly simply once you get the hang of basic inversion. While beginners may find these poses challenging at first, getting stronger with these basic inversions will make more complicated upside down poses much more simple.