Chakrasana or Wheel Pose          

Chakrasana (CHAAH-kraa-SUN-ah) or Urdhva Dhanurasana is an asana in yoga also commonly known as Wheel Pose. It is a backbending posture and is the first pose of the finishing sequence in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Chakrasana gives a great flexibility to the spine.  This asana name from the Sanskrit words “chakra” meaning wheel, and asana meaning posture.

How to Perform Chakrasana

• Begin the asana with lie down on your back with feet apart. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground close to your body. 
• Bend your knees about a foot’s distance away from your hips. Press your feet firmly into the floor.
• Place your hands on the floor just above your shoulders and your fingers should be facing your shoulders.
• Press your hands and lift your upper body off the ground resting the crown of your head lightly on  your mat.
• Press into your feet and lift your legs, pelvis and abdomen off of the mat, activating your inner thighs.
• Push more into your feet, bringing more of your weight into your palms. This will protect your lower back.
• Maintain strength and stability in your arms by continuing to press firmly into the mat.
• Let your head hang in a neutral position, making sure not to strain your neck. 
• Hold the position for 5-10 breaths.
• To exit from the pose, gradually lower your arms and legs then bring your spine back to the mat and alowly Lie down on your mat. Your body feels so light when you finish the posture and it makes you feel so relax.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Benefits of Chakrasana

• Increases energy and heat
• Stimulates the processes of the liver, spleen, and kidneys
• Strengthens the muscles of arms, legs, spine, and abdomen
• Stretches the chest and lungs get more oxygen
• Stretches the shoulders
• Good for asthma, infertility and osteoporosis medical conditions
• Stimulates the thyroid glands
• Stretches the hip flexors and core
• Strengthens the glutes and thighs muscles giving them effective robustness.
• Chakrasana can relieve asthma, breathing issues, bronchitis, and other respiratory illness if practiced regularly
• Wheel pose can help people suffering from diabetes.
• Chakrasana makes you excessively flexible.
• Removes tiredness from the body and makes you feel energised
• Open up your chest and improves the functionality of your lungs.
• Strengthens the back and improves spine flexibility and strength
• It helps to reduces the fat in the abdominal area and tones your digestive and reproductive  organs
• Chakrasana is an advance bend that not only rejuvenates you physically but it also fills you with immense peace reconnecting you with the higher self.

Precautions

• You should not practice chakrasana if you are suffering from Back problems (especially lower), Shoulder injuries
• People with high blood pressure, glaucoma and detached retina should avoid this pose
• Avoid doing wheel pose if you had a abdominal surgery.
• Women during her Pregnancy should avoid practicing Chakrasana
• You should work on simple backbending asanas before performing chakrasana. Do not directly practice chakrasana.
• Do not practice Chakrasana if you are suffering from Hernia.
• Do not perform the chakrasana If you have spinal or cardiac problems.