Featured Pose: Upward Plank Pose (Purvottanasana)

by Baxter

This pose is unique in a couple of ways. First, it lengthens the front of your body, (referred to as the “east” side in yoga, since it would face the rising sun if you were doing Sun Salutations) from the toes to the head. It does that by lifting your front body away from the floor into a gradual backbend shape and so also strengthens your back body in a different way than other back bends, such as Camel pose (Ustrasana), which is much more passive in the use of the back muscles to create the pose shape then Upward Plank is). And second, it is one of the few poses that takes your arms into deep extension, a movement that is useful as preparation for Shoulderstand, another pose that requires similar action at the shoulder joint.

Nina recommends this pose for arm and upper body strengthening, and finds it is a good counter-pose for twists and seated forward bends as it is a mild backbend shape that helps restore the natural curves of your spine.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

• general inactivity
• prolonged sitting
• head forward syndrome
• upper body weakness
• tight shoulders

Note that although these days this pose is commonly Upward Plank pose, the name "Purvottanasana" translates as Intense Stretch of the East, referring to the wonderful overall front-body stretch that the pose provides.

Cautions: Because you bear your body weight on your wrists and hands in the extended position, those with wrist problems, including wrist pains, sprains, and strains, and carpel tunnel syndrome, should use caution in doing this pose. You may need to modify your hand position, use a wedge, or lower onto your elbows to do the pose safely. Try the chair version as a gentler alternative.

Due to the deep extension at the shoulder joint, those with shoulder joint pain or tendonitis or tendency to dislocate in this direction should use caution and stick to the sitting prep position shown below.

As with any pose that drops your head back into a backbend (extension) with the additional pull of gravity at work, those of you with neck issues, especially degenerative discs and facet joint arthritis, should consider keeping your chin tucked to your chest when doing the pose.

Classic Version

1. Sit in Staff Pose (Dandasana), with your legs straight out in front of you’re your spine erect over your hips, and your hands on the floor at your sides. 
2. Move your hands about 6-12 inches back behind your hips, with your palms flat on floor. You can have the hands pointing forward (classic position) or turned out to sides or back if that is better for your wrists. 
3. Firm your palms down, lengthen through your elbows, and then lift your sternum forward and up to bring your chest into a bit of backbend, while keep your chin and head in neutral position (see Prep Pose photo below). 
4. Push down through your arms and pivot on your heels as you lift your hips up and forward, pressing the balls of your feet forward and down toward the floor (don’t worry if the balls of your feet does not make it all the way down). Keep your chin tucked to your chest.
5. Lifting your hips and the lower tip of your sternum up as high as you can while keeping your thighs parallel and knee caps pointing skyward, carefully bring you head back in line with the arch of your spine, focusing on keeping the back of your neck long. Consider taking your neck and head into deeper extension if you can do that without pain. Stay for a few breaths or longer. 
6. To come out of the pose, lower your hips to the floor as you bring your head back to a vertical position. Release your hands, and consider wrist flossing after you do the pose a few times (see Featured Sequence Wrist Flossing).

Timing: To warm your body up, you can do this pose dynamically, lifting up with your inhalation and lowering down with your exhalation for a few rounds (I usually do six rounds. Then do the pose statically, starting off holding it for 15-30 seconds, and gradually working towards 1-2 minutes over the course of weeks or months.

First Variation: Prep Pose

This version is for those with wrist, shoulder and neck issues, as it allows you to take the basic shape of the pose without causing strain to areas that need protection.

1. Follow steps 1-3 above, and hold the seated version for 15-30 seconds before releasing the chest lift.
2. Return to Staff pose and release tension in your shoulders, neck and wrists as needed before attempting again.

Second Variation: Reverse Table Pose 

This variation is for those who may want to work on increasing shoulder flexibility (arm extension), as it requires more than the classic pose. It also is less of a back bend, so those of you who have difficulty doing backbends may find it a good starting position as you head towards the classic pose.

1. Follow steps 1-3 for the classic pose.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet about 1.5 feet from your hips. 
3. Pressing down into your hands and feet equally, begin to lift your hips up about 6 inches off the floor and a bit towards your feet. Keep your chin tucked towards your chest.
4. Press more firmly into your hands and feet and lift your hips and lower sternum up gradually towards a place where your front hips line up with your shoulders and knees, stopping anywhere shy of that mark if your body sends you a pain signal to do so.
5. Once you are in the table-like position, gradually work with your neck as in the classic pose, focusing on keeping the back of your neck long. Consider taking your neck and head into deeper extension if you can do that without pain. Stay for a few breaths.
6. To come out of the pose, lower your hips to the floor as you bring your head back to vertical. Release your wrists, shoulders and neck as needed. Repeat as desired.

 Timing: Same as the classic pose above. 

Third Variation: Chair Upward Plank Pose 

The chair version of Upward Plank provides a gentler front body opening, and is easier all around because it does not require as much upper body strength or shoulder flexibility (arm extension). Because your feet will likely be flat on the floor when you come up into the pose, your legs will do more of the work than the other variations and there will be less weight on your hands and wrists. This is a very good starting pose to try if your shoulders are tight.

1. Place a chair with its back legs against the wall.
2. Sit on the edge of the chair, facing away from the wall, with your legs together and your knees bent.
3. Place your hands alongside your hips on the seat of the chair, close to the front edge of the seat.
4. Extend your legs straight out in front of you, with your feet close together, your heels on the floor, and your feet slightly flexed.
5. Press your hands into the chair as your lift your hips up and away from the chair and press the balls of your feet to the floor. Keep your head neutral for now. Ideally, when you are up in the pose, your shoulders should be over your wrists, so you may need to move your feet a bit further away from the chair as you come up.
6. Look down the front of your body, and try to lift up your hips and chest so that your body at least makes a straight line from your feet to your collarbones. If you want to try taking your head and neck back into a backbend (extension), maintain as much length in the back of your neck as you can, go slowly, and make sure the change of position to does not cause you any pain.
7. To come out of the pose, lower your hips back and down to the front edge of the chair seat.

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Friday Q&A: Purvottansana (Upward Plank pose) Variations

Q: In yesterday’s post Flexibility and Aging, Shari recommended Purvottanasana as an essential pose for maintaining flexible. But this is a challenging pose for a large number of people. Are there any good alternatives?

A: I’m so glad you asked this question! I, myself, was wondering whether I should mention some more accessible variations of Purvottanasana (Upward Plank pose). Then one of our readers, Joanne, left a comment on the post describing how she teaches the pose to her older students using a chair. Before I get to her comment, I’d like to start by describing some of the variations I know, starting with a modified version of the pose you can do on the floor.

Instead of going into the pose with straight legs, start with your knees bent and the soles of your feet the ground. Then, as you press up into the pose, keep your knees bent so your body forms a kind of table shape (this version is sometimes called Table pose). I found an odd little video of it for you (try not to turn your head to face the camera when you do the pose, though):

Another version of this pose that you can do almost anywhere, in any clothing, is the door or kitchen sink version. In the door version, you open the door that has doorknobs on both sides, and stand with your back about six inches in front of thin edge of the door. Reach back with both hands and take hold of the doorknobs behind you. Then, moving from your upper chest rather than your lower back, allow yourself to lean forward away from door, so you come into a Purvottanasana shape, hanging from the door knobs.

In the kitchen sink version, you stand with your back about six inches from the kitchen sink. Then reach back with both hands to grasp the front lip of the sink. As in the door version, moving from your upper chest rather than your lower back, allow yourself to lean forward away from door, so you come into a Purvottanasana shape, hanging from the door knobs.

Last but not least is the chair version that Joanne (thank you, Joanne!) wrote to us about, which makes the pose accessible to folks who are unable to practice on the floor. I’ll let Joanne tell you about the pose in her own words because the results she achieved with her students are so inspiring:

“My chair yoga students do a variation of Purvottanasana that is easier for older students. Sit near the front edge of the chair seat. Place your hands behind you, grasping the side edges of the seat near the back. First just feel a stretch in the upper back, lifting the sternum and arching the upper back. Then move the feet out in front, hip distance apart and pointing forward. Lift the pelvis off the chair. Hold as long as comfortable.

When we first did this, the students were collapsing back on the chair seat after just a few seconds. Now they can hold this position for 30 seconds and longer. One woman who is 87 can hold it for a long time! One woman who is very overweight struggled for over a year to lift her pelvis off the chair. For weeks she pushed with her arms, getting stronger every time. Finally she lifted up and was she ever proud of herself. Now she can hold this position for a long time.”

With all these options, there will surely be a variation that everyone can do. Combining this pose with some version of Downward-Facing Dog pose (if you can’t do the full pose, put your hands on a chair seat, a table top, or on the wall) allows you to stretch both your front body and back body while you strengthen your arms.

—Nina

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