In yoga we are always talking about balance between strength and flexibility, and pinchamyurasana is no exception. To access it, one needs to be open in the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves. Plus, have strength in the upper back, core, and the inner leg lines (yeap, the legs are quite important).

In the following you will find an infographic with 5 movements that I use in my own practice and that helped me feel more comfortable in this inversion. But before, I’d like to tell you why they are going to help you.

One of the main obstacles is the openness in the shoulders. Maybe you have the strength to get into the pose but not the shoulder mobility to get into it. That is where backbending can really become your bestie, specially the poses that require shoulder opening like wheel. The flexibility in your hamstrings and calves will give you the opportunity to walk your feel in closer to the torso before getting into the pose (one always starts in dolphin pose). This way, you can align your hips in line with your shoulders; allowing you to come up with a smaller impulse. 

Ok, and what about strenght? You already know that core strength is important for everything. And in forearm stand, the main action is bringing your coccyx towards the navel and pressing the forearms against the floor to activate the upper back muscles. And surprise, surprise! Your legs are also key, the activation of the inner leg lines helps you maintain your balance once you are in the pose. You can think about keeping the heels together ;)

Did I convince you? Let’s get to work!