Supported Shoulderstand

An inversion resting on the shoulders and upper arms with the hands supporting the back, the body stacked vertically over the shoulders.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back, ideally with a folded blanket under the shoulders and the head off it.
2. Lift the legs overhead and support the lower back with both hands, elbows shoulder-width apart.
3. Walk the hands up the back and stack the hips over the shoulders until the body is vertical.
4. Hold the position for the prescribed time, keeping the head and neck completely still.
5. Lower the legs overhead and roll down slowly with the hands supporting the back.

Tips

• Keep the weight on the shoulders and upper arms, never on the neck.
• Do not turn the head while inverted.
• Build up with legs-up-the-wall and plow pose before holding this one for long.

Muscles

Primary: Erector spinae, Abs

Secondary: Glutes (max), Traps