Rope Pose

Instructions

1. 1Stand facing a wall with two yoga ropes fixed at shoulder height, feet hip-width apart.
2. 2Take one rope in each hand, stepping back slightly so the ropes are taut and support your weight.
3. 3Inhale to lengthen the spine, then hinge forward from the hips, arms straight and torso parallel to the floor.
4. 4Press your feet firmly into the floor and draw your sitting bones back as you extend through the crown of the head.
5. 5Keep your shoulders away from your ears and your neck in a natural extension of the spine.
6. 6Breathe into the full length of your back body, holding for five to ten steady breaths.
7. 7To exit, walk your feet toward the wall and return to standing, releasing the ropes with control.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Shoulder impingement or rotator cuff injury — bearing load through the arms in traction can compress or further strain the shoulder structures.
• ⚠High blood pressure — the partial inversion and sustained effort may elevate blood pressure in sensitive individuals.
• ⚠Pregnancy beyond the first trimester — the abdominal compression and inversion element are contraindicated as the pregnancy progresses.