The meaning of chakrasana.
The word chakra has Sanskrit origin and associated with so many meanings- ‘wheel’, ‘circle’. That’s why it is often called wheel pose because in the final position, the body takes the shape looks like wheel. To get the shape of a wheel; needs regular disciplined practice, which also leads to flexible spine. There are so many health benefits of chakrasana. One of the important benefits is weight loss. Chakrasana Yoga pose is beneficial for weight loss and to burn fat from toes to fingers, especially plays an important role to burn belly fat. Chakrasana is an excellent asana that can help to bring about optimum health of the body if it is done regularly.
Steps to practice Chakrasana.
- Lie down on your back comfortably on a yoga mat. Look straight in the upward direction.
- Fold both of your legs and bend them down below your buttock, making your feet’s sole touch the ground. Keep the feet and knees at least 30 cm apart.
- Place both of your hands beside your head and keep them beneath your shoulders in a way that the fingers turns towards the legs.
- Take a long and deep breath and slowly start raising your body.
- Arch your back while raising the body supporting the weight of your upper body on the back and top of your head.
- Lift your head and trunk from the ground and straighten your hands and legs as much as possible.
- Arch the back as high as possible but do not strain. The neck should be relaxed.
- Lift the heels and balance on foot fingers and hands for some seconds and slowly lower the heels.
- Stay in this posture while breathing normally for as long as you feel comfortable and return to the floor slowly while exhaling.Slowly lower the body to the floor.
Practice Chakrasana 3 times. Practice before and after a forward bending posture.
benefits of chakrasana
- Chakrasana for weight loss: This is one of the effective yoga poses for weight loss as it provides suitable stretching from toes to fingers. If the yoga asana is practiced on regular basis and maintained for 1 to 2 minutes, it shows positive result for the overall burning of fat from the body. The asana is also useful for overcoming obesity.
- Burning belly fat: If you are bored with your belly fat, try chakrasana. The yoga pose is quite beneficial for burning of belly fat because of adequate abdominal massage, suitable secretion of gastric juices and stretching. It helps to make the stomach flat by shedding extra fat from the abdominal region.
- Prevent Hair fall: Very few people know that the yoga pose is good to prevent hair fall. While practicing the yoga pose, circulation of fresh oxygenated blood gets smooth in the brain region, which result in providing suitable nutrients to the hair follicles, thus good for the health of hair.
- Height increase: In fact, Tadasana is the best yoga to increase height. Now, the question is raised how chakrasana will be beneficial to increase height. The practicing of the yoga pose ensures adequate stretching to the spine, muscles and bone in the early stage. If the practice is continued for a certain period of time, definitely, it will be helpful to increase height in case of children before age of 20 years.
- Brain health: The practice of wheel pose flushes the brain with a freshly oxygenated supply of blood. This will help to improve the efficiency of the brain cells and in turn, the overall health of the entire body.
- Back pain: This is the best yoga pose for the health of the back. It gives accentuated stretch to all the nerves of the back, including the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. The profound backward bend realigns any spinal discs and vertebrae that may be slightly displaced. It also realigns the entire spinal column and strengthens the back.
- Trapped gases: The proper practice of the yoga pose decongests the stomach due to extra abdominal pressure and facilities easy flow of gases. It releases trapped gases from the abdominal region and also ensures smooth oxygenated blood flow to various body organs thus increases the efficiency of organs and body systems.
- Respiartory problems: Chakrasana helps to prevent and cure lung diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, etc., Its practice ensures an improved intake of oxygen, improved removal of carbon dioxide and consequently better health. These include asthma, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis and large numbers of other ailments indirectly caused by starving our body of the oxygen nourishment that it needs as a result of shallow respiration.
- Diabetes: The asana is particularly useful for massaging the abdominal organs and helping to remove various associated ailments including diabetes. The pituitary secretes a hormone called diabetogenic hormone, which has a direct influence on the liver and the production of insulin in the pancreas.
- Heart health: The practice of the yoga pose ensures fresh oxygenated blood and nutrients to the heart. It also massages the heart, thus good for the overall cardiac health.
Breathing during chakrasana
- Initially, inhale deeply.
- Hold the breath while coming to the final pose.
- Do deep and slow breathing in the final pose.
- Exhale while coming to the original position.
Advice for beginners
- If you have very stiff back, then we strongly advise you not to attempt to perform chakrasana.
- Before practicing it, do Ardha chakrasana, Dhanurasana, Ushtrasana, etc. As these yoga poses will loosen up your spine over a period of time.
Chakrasana limitations
- Chakrasana should not be practised by people who suffer from high blood pressure, heart problems, stomach ulcers, dilated eye pupils or hernia, or by anyone who has weak arms.
- Avoid in case who has recently undergone any abdominal operation or who has fractured any bones.
- Pregnant women should not do it.
