Yoga Wheel Pose: How To, Variations, and Alternatives

The Yoga Wheel Pose is a challenging asana. It's a great way to open up the chest while strengthening the arms, legs, and core. Yoga Wheel Pose is also a good way alleviate pressure in the lower back or spine.

Are you ready for a wheel-y rad yoga pose to add to your practice? Enter: Wheel Pose (aka Upward Facing Bow Pose or Urdhva Dhanurasana). This challenging asana is great for strengthening your arms, legs, and and abs. It also has some impressive perks for your spine and back.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do the Wheel Pose, plus variations for beginners.

The Wheel Pose isn't normally considered beginner-friendly. So, take it easy and focus on proper form at every step. Here's how you do it:

Pro tip: Keep your outer thighs firm and turn your upper thighs inward as you lift. Also, be careful not to put stress on your neck.

Wheel Pose is a yoga asana (aka position). The yoga wheel is a hollow circular aid used for stretching and working on flexibility.

Here's how you can modify Wheel Pose to make it easier or more difficult.

If you’re almost able to pull off a wheel pose — but you need to cheat just a little — you’re in luck. Here are a few ways to make Wheel Pose a bit more beginner-friendly:

Once you’ve mastered the basic Wheel, there are lots of fun ways to make it more challenging. Here are some tips for advanced yogis:

Yoga offers beaucoup benefits for your mind and body. Wheel Pose might help:

You should always be safety conscious when practicing yoga. But a back-bending asana like Wheel Pose requires extra awareness. Here are some tips to help you prevent ouchies:

You’re prob not going to nail the wheel pose on your first day as a yogi. And that's OK! Here are six beginner-friendly asanas that offer similar perks.

Balasana, or child's pose, is a nice easy beginner yoga position. It's ideal for warming up, even if you’re a complete noob:

Bhujangasana is a solid beginner's backbend and an ideal gateway into yoga. Even regulars might want to polish their cobra. Here's how:

Say hi to Setu Bandhasana. It's great for spine extension and activating your core:

Ustrasana is a little more advanced, but it's a good way to get yourself ready for the wheel pose:

Dhanurasana continues to step things up; another back bend that also works your chest:

Let's round off with Catur Svanasana, a souped-up version of the downward dog that's sure to push the limits of your back extension:

Wheel pose is a challenging yoga move in its own right that pushes flexibility in the chest and back. An intermediate pose, it's a fantastic gateway to some advanced positions. Just be sure to take your time and don't push past your limits. The moves (and their benefits) will open up when they’re ready to happen naturally.