Chakrasana, aka Wheel Pose: Benefits, How to Do It, and More

• Do you often wonder which yoga exercise is good to begin with?

• Does a plethora of yoga poses confuse you?

• Do you want to practice yoga but don't know which exercise can help enhance your overall well-being and contribute to a balanced lifestyle? 

If yes, this blog is for you. Yoga combines mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. Chakrasana, commonly known as the wheel pose, is powerful and offers several benefits, including boosting energy levels, relieving stress, and promoting mental clarity. 

Today’s blog illuminates the numerous benefits of Chakrasana when it should be avoided, and how it relates to Redcliffe Labs. 

What is Chakrasana?

Urdhva Dhanurasana, or Chakrasana, is popularly known as the wheel pose, though the literal meaning in Sanskrit is “upward-facing bow.” It belongs to the backbend postures, which are poses performed extending the spine. 

When you perform Chakrasana, your body looks like a rainbow, representing the rainbow bridge of all the 7 major chakras at the base of the spine. 

Additionally, Ardha Chakrasana, or a half-wheel pose, is a beginner-friendly yoga asana that can offer numerous benefits. 

Both Chakrasana and Ardh Chakrasana open the chest, improve respiratory health, and reduce stress. 

History of Chakrasana

The history of Chakrasana dates back to Srinivas Bhatta's 17th-century Hatha text, Hatha Ratnavali. The term Chakrasana is derived from two Sanskrit words: Chakra (wheel) and Asana (pose). During the pose, your body is rounded and wheel-like. 

Chakrasana traces its roots back to traditional Indian physical culture and spirituality. It was believed that opening the chest and backward bends helped stimulate energy, strengthen the spine, and improve circulation. 

Additionally, during the 19th and 20th centuries, the yoga revival gained popularity due to modern Hatha yoga. Consequently, it is now included in fitness regimes due to its spinal health benefits and promotion of flexibility. 

How to Perform Chakrasana?

Below is a step-by-step guide to performing chakrasana—the Wheel Pose: 

• Take a yoga mat and lie straight on it. 
• Then, bend your knees and place your heels closer to the hips. 
• Now, raise your arms slowly, bending your elbows by keeping the palms beside your ears. 
• Ensure your fingers are pointing towards the shoulders. 
• Next, drop your head back. 
• Raise your hip. 
• Lock your elbows; keep them straight. 
• Stay in this position until you can. 

• Release the pose: bend your elbows and knees, lower your spine, and lie on the mat. 
• Counterpose after releasing the pose. 
• Bring your knees close to your chest. Hug them (Pawanmuktasana pose). 
• Slowly breathe in and breathe out. 

Also read: https://redcliffelabs.com/myhealth/yoga/11-yoga-asanas-for-liver-and-kidney-health/

Top 7 Physical Benefits of Chakrasana: You May Like to Know

Chakrasana (wheel pose) ensures strength, flexibility, endurance, longevity, and wellness. It is a back-bending yoga, which is performed to comfort your body. Since it is a beginner-level yoga posture of Ashtanga yoga, you should perform it under guidance. 

1. Enhances flexibility: We all want to improve our body’s flexibility. Continuous sitting in the office or at home makes the body stiff, so here is Chakrasana to help your body become more flexible and reduce stiffness. When you perform a wheel pose, you bend your body, thereby giving a great stretch to your backbone. Additionally, it brings more mobility to the joints and overall body. 
2. Strengthens muscles: Chakrasana is one of the Vedic blessings to mankind. It is also considered a cosmic source of inner power and strength. Other benefits of Chakrasana include a healthy spinal cord, strong bones, and proper nerve functioning. Adding Chakrasana to your daily routine can also benefit muscle endurance. The gluteus muscles in the hip area become robust. 
3. Open up the chest: Chakrasana opens your chest. When you expand your chest, it improves your lungs’ capacity and oxygen flow throughout the body. Further, this increased oxygen improves respiratory function and revitalizes the cells and organs, thus promoting overall health and vitality. 
4. Good for digestion: Chakrasana is very good for managing chronic digestive problems. It can benefit your gut by discharging toxic elements from the intestine through the bowel, thereby increasing your appetite. Chakrasana yoga helps you digest your food properly and kkeeps problems like constipation, bloating, and acidity at bay. 
5. May improve blood sugar levels: A recent study reveals that Chakrasana may help reduce hemoglobin A1C in people with diabetes. Since this yoga posture involves backbends, it can stimulate insulin secretion in the body and help keep your blood sugar in control. 
6. It is good for the heart: Another benefit of Chakrasana is that it can help you maintain optimal heart health. The Chakrasana benefits from stretching the chest and awakening the heart chakra. The wheel pose is crucial in keeping your heart healthy and fit. When you perform Chakrasana, it increases blood circulation, providing a massaging effect on the internal organs. In this way, it minimizes the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and blood pressure problems. 
7. Boosts Blood Circulation: Chakrasana, or wheel pose, helps boost blood circulation. Since it is a backbend pose, this inversion increases blood flow to the brain, heart, and other organs. This improves circulation and can benefit in different ways, including glowing and youthful skin forever. Also, it promotes physical vitality. 

Top 3 Mental Benefits of Chakrasana

Some mental benefits of Chakrasana include: 

1. Promotes mental wellness: Chakrasana improves digestion, prevents the risk of cardiovascular diseases, keeps blood sugar levels in control, strengthens muscles, and enhances flexibility. 

A wheel pose is associated with oxygenating brain cells and relieving anxiety, stress, and other emotional disorders. Thus, it benefits mental health.

2. It improves mood: Chakrasana, or wheel pose, also helps improve focus and concentration. While performing this yoga asana, endorphins are released—hormones that help relieve stress and pain and improve mood. 
3. Keeps you emotionally balanced: Chakrasana, aka wheel pose, is effective in maintaining emotional, mental, and physical health. It balances the seven chakras of the body, which helps foster emotional stability and resilience. 

Top 5 Spiritual Benefits of Chakrasana

Besides plenty of physical and mental Chakrasana benefits, the spiritual benefits of this yoga asana exist. It is an advanced bend that deeply influences spiritual growth. Some spiritual benefits of Chakrasana include: 

1. Energizes the Chakras: Chakrasana activates and aligns the body's energy centers, mainly the heart chakra. The pose balances and energizes the chakras for spiritual growth and inner harmony. 
2. Improves your connection: Chakrasana, or wheel pose, opens the heart chakra, which denotes love, compassion, and forgiveness. Hence, practicing Chakrasana may foster a deeper mind-body connection. 
3. Enhance energy flow: A wheel pose helps stimulate the spine. In yogic traditions, the spine is an energy pathway (Sushumna Nadi). It unblocks the stagnant energies and enhances vitality and spiritual awareness. 
4. Promotes inner strength and confidence: By practicing Chakrasana, you push your physical limits, building mental resilience and spiritual courage. 
5. Connects with the divine: The upward and expansive bends of Chakrasana mean you are surrendering to higher energies and connecting with the divine.

Getting Interested! Here are some helpful tips for beginners practicing Chakrasana.

Practicing Chakrasana for beginners can be challenging. However, below are some helpful tips to ease into the pose: 

• Start with Bandhasana: Build strength and flexibility with a bridge pose. 
• Use a wall: Use a wall or yoga props for support and stability. 
• Gradual progression: Increase the duration and depth of the Chakrasana gradually. 
• Meet an expert: Meet a certified yoga instructor to guide you through. Professional guidance can ensure proper alignment and technique so you can reap the benefits. 

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid While Practicing Chakrasana

Undeniably, Chakrasana benefits us in several ways; however, there are some “don’ts” to keep in mind when thinking of incorporating this yoga pose into your daily routine: 

1. Avoid holding your breath: Ensure steady and deep breathing throughout the yoga practice. It helps you stay relaxed and focused. 
2. Warm-up is a must: Before practicing Chakrasana, you must have a thorough warm-up. Focus on stretching your spine, shoulders, and hips, which will prepare you for an intense stretch. 
3. Avoid excessive arching of the back: To prevent pain or discomfort, avoid overarching of the lower back. 
4. Avoid when in pain: Do not practice Chakrasana if you experience pain or discomfort. 
5. Incorrect hand and foot placement: Keep your hands and feet aligned to prevent lower back compression. 

Who should avoid performing Chakrasana?

You should avoid performing Chakrasana if: 

• You are pregnant. Avoid Chakrasana in pregnancy, as this yoga pose can put too much strain on your abdominal cavity and spine. 
• If you have back or spinal injuries, avoid the wheel pose if you have back pain or spinal injuries. 
• Weak wrist: If you have a weak wrist, performing Chakrasana may worsen the condition. 
• Heart conditions: If you are bothered by low blood pressure or a heart condition, perform Chakrasana only under the guidance of experts. 
• Other considerations: Do not try Chakrasana if you suffer from a hernia, a headache, diarrhea, abdominal surgery, or carpal tunnel. 

Note: Discuss your doubts or concerns with your doctor before practicing Chakrasana to obtain maximum health benefits. 

Keep Takeaways

By availing yourself of the Chakrasana benefits, right from the physical to spiritual stability, you can move your life towards greater peace and abilities. 

Practicing Chakrasana (wheel pose) every day can keep your mind and body relaxed. Besides, this pose keeps you charged up throughout the day, giving you the next level of confidence. 

Nevertheless, do not ignore if you suffer from a heart disease or any discomfort to prevent further complications and obtain maximum benefits. 

Chakrasana and Redcliffe Labs

Practicing yoga, including Chakrasana, is one step closer to maintaining overall health and vitality. Redcliffe Labs offers a wide range of routine tests, specialized tests, and genetics for different age groups at cost-effective rates. 

Incorporating yoga in your daily routine can help minimize the risk for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, lung cancer, depression, stroke, etc. 

Healthy India ki Trusted Lab-Redcliffe Labs is a purpose-driven pan-India omnichannel service provider offering services in tier 1, 2, and 3 cities, and beyond across Bharat. Book a urine and blood test online at your convenience with a home sample collection service. The in-house certified sample collection expert will deliver your sample to a lab where the experts utilize the latest technology to provide accurate results. The reports are available within a timeframe. 

Nevertheless, Redcliffe Labs passes maximum benefits to the customers, including report consultation, personalized diet plans, and health progress reports. 

Step-by-step information on booking a test online from Redcliffe Labs. 

1. Visit the official Redcliffe Labs website: https://redcliffelabs.com/.
2. Browse or search for the specific test you need. 
3. Add the test to the cart. 
4. Complete the payment process online.

Note: You will receive confirmation through SMS and WhatsApp.

FAQ:

1. Which diseases can Chakrasana cure?

Chakrasana can help cure poor digestion, back pain, and respiratory issues. Practicing Chakrasana every day can support overall health and improve physical conditions. 

2. Can I do Chakrasana to improve back pain?

Yes. You can do Chakrasana to improve back pain. It strengthens the back muscles and makes the spine more flexible. Discuss with your healthcare provider before doing this yoga asana to avoid exacerbating existing back issues. 

3. Can Chakrasana (wheel pose) improve mental health?

Yes. Chakrasana (wheel pose) can help improve your mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. It releases endorphins to enhance mood and improve focus and concentration.

4. How many times a day should you practice Chakrasana?

You can practice Chakrasana 2-3 times a day for optimal benefits. However, beginners can do fewer repetitions and gradually increase as their stamina and strength improve.