Legs-Up-the-Wall
Viparita KaraniA passive inversion with the hips supported and the legs vertical against a wall. Requires no strength and is traditionally used as a quiet closing pose.
- 01Sit sideways with one hip touching the wall and a bolster or folded blanket beside you.
- 02Swing the legs up the wall as you lower the back to the floor.
- 03Slide the support under the pelvis so the hips are slightly higher than the chest.
- 04Let the legs rest against the wall, arms out to the sides, and soften the jaw and shoulders.
- 05Stay five to fifteen minutes, then roll to one side before sitting up slowly.
- 01Move the hips closer to or further from the wall until the hamstrings feel neutral.
- 02Nothing to hold here — let the legs be heavy.
- 03Come out slowly; sitting up fast leaves you light-headed.
- 01Jamming the hips right against the wall with tight hamstrings, which rounds the lower back and makes it unrestful.
- 02Piling the support too high, which pushes pressure into the neck.
- 03Treating it as a stretch and pushing the legs back, which defeats a pose meant to be passive.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.