Top 7 Health Benefits of Kandharasana (Shoulder Pose)

Our body is a miraculous working machine. Each body organ plays a crucial role in keeping us healthy. But, sometimes our actions and negligence result in compromised functioning of the body organs leading to poor quality of life.

Kandharasana or Shoulder Pose is a natural antidote to poorly operating an internal system. Kandharasana is a yoga posture from the backward-bending series, highly beneficial for expanding the chest, opening the breathing passage, stretching external body areas, and utmost healing. In addition, the benefits of shoulder pose for females are highly alluring.

Instructions for Performing Kandharasana:

1. Lay your back on the floor. Keep the legs stretched out and arms by your side.
2. Take a bend at the knees and place the feet on the ground.
3. Extend the arms to grab the ankles with your palms. Make sure the grasp is firm and tight.
4. Now, try to pull your feet in the backward direction until your heels come in close contact with the hips. Stay within your limits.
5. Inhale, retain the breath, uplift the hips higher, and arch the back upwards.
6. Feet and shoulders will rest on a yoga mat.
7. Support the body weight on your shoulders, neck, head, arms, and feet.
8. This is the final position. Hold it for 20-seconds.
9. To release, lower the hips and back to the ground, extend the legs, unlock the ankles and rest the arms by your side and relax in the supine position.

Contraindications of Shoulder Pose

1. Pregnant women should avoid the pose.
2. People suffering from peptic or duodenal ulcer should not practice the pose until the condition persists.
3. If you have a knee injury, consult a doctor before practicing or completely avoid the practice.
4. In the case of an abdominal hernia, do not practice.

Kandharasana Practicing Tips:

1. Perform Kandharasana either before or after a forward bend posture.
2. It acts as a preparatory pose for Chakrasana (Wheel posture).
3. Ideally, 3 round of shoulder pose is recommendable. You can extend it according to your body strength and limits.

7 Incredible Health Benefits of Kandharasana:

1. Strengthens Shoulders: Due to the forward positioning of the head, the shoulders get rounded. It leads to poor postural alignment as well as impaired health. Moreover, slouched shoulders cause the fascia and muscles to get shorter. Kandharasana corrects round shoulders and give strength to them as in the pose, the shoulders bear body weight.
2. Heals back problems: In the Shoulder Pose, you arch the back in an upward direction offering healing. When you practice the Kandharasana within your body limits, then you can reap the health benefits of Kandharasana, like a decrease in vertebral disc problems and a backache. Practice on a regular basis with dedication for effective and long-lasting results.
3. Good for Female Health: The Shoulder Pose is a great yoga practice for the females because it corrects and heals many female health problems. The pose strengthens the female reproductive organ, the uterus, thus lowering the chance of miscarriage and relieving menstrual discomfort. Women can perform this pose daily before pregnancy and can witness the benefits of shoulder pose during the gestation period.
4. Tones Abdomen Organs: The kandharasana tones the organs of the abdomen. The abdomen contains all the digestive organs; filtering organs like kidneys & liver; spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder. As they get toned during the practice, their functioning gets enhanced, and your health gets amplified. Also, you get to embrace chiseled and well-defined abs.
5. Powers up Lungs: The Kandharasana facilitate in the expansion of chest and lungs allowing you to breathe deeply, easily, and effectively. Full usage of lungs for breathing assists in more oxygen intake that nourishes your body-mind with nutrient-rich blood. The practice confers you with enhanced breathing, improved blood supply, fortified lung health benefits of Kandharasana.
6. Centers Solar Plexus: Solar plexus is the Manipura chakra characterized by the expression of will, personal power and mental abilities. The Shoulder Pose centers the Manipura Chakra allowing you to experience heightened self-esteem, confidence and willpower.
7. Improves Mental Health: In addition to the physical benefits of shoulder pose, Kandharasana bestows the practitioner with mental and emotional health benefits. On the whole, you can live a healthy life with Kandharasana.

Practice, practice, and practice Kandharasana for physical, mental and spiritual wellness.