Getting into a wheel

[rheash92]

I really really want to be able to do the wheel pose. Jillian does this in her body revolution and body shred workouts and it was the only move I couldn't do in body revolution. I had to take a break for a few months this year due to surgery then busy work schedule but before that I was low advanced. Now I would say I am regaining my strength and cardio capacity so I am intermediate. I am not very flexible but I am working on it. Any recommendations? Thanks!

[herya]

Your shoulders need to be really open for wheel (urdhva dhanurasana), otherwise you risk serious shoulder injury! Front of your body needs to be flexible as well. I'd suggest finding an appropriate shoulder opening practice on YouTube (or on DVD), with wheel as peak pose, and practice them on their own before you attempt Jillian's wheel as it won't have nowhere near as much preparation.
The infamous John Friend of Anusara had a great DVD "Lakshmi rocks me" which is like a workshop in getting to wheel and it gave me the best and safest feeling Urdha Dhanurasana ever. It might be worth digging up?

[bex]

You could try this progression:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVpJ-zZleac

[Pat58]

Another vote for Lakshmi Rocks Me. John Friend talks and talks, but he demonstrates how to work your way into wheel pose by holding onto a friend's ankles at first.

When I had those four DVDs he got me into a lot of poses that had previously been inaccessible for me with the slow progressions.

Another one worth looking at is Erich Schiffmann's Backbends from the Beginners series.

[bzar]

ahh... the infamous full backbend. the following link summarizes poses that will strengthen the individual body parts rheash mentioned:

• king arthur pose
• bridge pose
• inverted staff pose using chair (but i suggested lying over a stability ball since most people do not have a backless chair)
• cobra (my absolute favorite for opening the chest and abs)
• down dog
• chair shoulder stretch (i just learned this pose recently for stretching shoulder blades)

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/p...nt-your-wheel/

i also suggest camel pose. also, if you have access to a playground slide's ladder, you can gradually do a back bend from the standing position, using the ladder as a support. with your back toward the ladder, feet about 2' away from ladder, arch backwards and hold onto the rung or side rails.

before moving lower to grasp a lower rung or descend lower on the rails, take 5-6 slow breaths, hold in abs and contract your lower back. do a body check of all your muscles to see where balancing is needed as far as which muscles need to contract/relax.

you may need to adjust the distance of your feet as you descend.

if you have no playground ladder, a wall in your house will also work - bring your yoga mat near the wall for extra support for your feet.

if going from the ground upward (easier than the ladder way), lying on the stability ball and then lifting your entire body toward the ceiling is another way to practice.

[macska]

IM also in the process to get back into the wheel with ease. Nowadays I use a stability ball and just do a "cheat wheel" on it, getting my front open gradually. I had shoulder surgery, it takes a little time to get back into doing a wheel gracefully.

[katmom]

I love wheel pose! But the last time I did it I had to make emergency visit to the chiropractor. I ruptured my L5 disc about 34 years ago and it had been "quite" for about 30 years, however it returned to "haunt" me last December.

[Dabbadooey]

Chest openers are fine, but unless you have built sufficient strength in the upper arms, full wheel will be difficult.

[ebianco]

There is another youtube progression workout, by Zuzka (for bridge pushups). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBRgvyfZAK8

[tiffanywu]

Approach with caution... and better still with a good yoga teacher. I've been practicing yoga since 2000 and I have always had a lower back that's a bit too bendy so had to work on strengthening and stabilizing that while increasing flexibility in my shoulders and upper back. Working up to wheel wasn't too tough but since I had two C-sections, I've been very cautious. I only attempt it when I'm very warmed up during a vinyasa flow practice (think 45 minutes or thereabouts into the practice) and stop myself to modify by lifting my heels and/or not pushing as deep into the pose. Honestly, there are many advanced poses in yoga that I can kinda sorta do with a lot of prep, effort and time but life is too short to risk injury... and nowadays with two kids and a full-time job, advanced poses just aren't a priority anymore. Big champion of functional fitness here