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Start with the Half Wheel Pose before you attempt the full bends, advises Kamala Venkat

Ardha Chakrasana is also known as Half Wheel Pose. It is an intermediate pose that helps to prepare our body and mind for the deeper back-bending postures. In Sanskrit, ‘ardha’ means ‘half,’ ‘chakra’ means ‘wheel,’ and ‘asana’ means ‘posture.’ The final position of this pose looks like a half wheel.

Method 

• Start by standing straight on the mat, leaving a slight gap between the legs. Try to distribute the whole body weight equally between both legs. Keep your palms by the side of your thighs.

• Then, slowly, take a deep inhalation, raise your hands straight up, and bend backwards. (You can place your hands on your hips also if you are not able to balance yourself.)

• When you are bending backwards, it’s important not to bend your knees and to keep your elbows straight. Stay in this pose for a few seconds. (Continue breathing normally in this position.)

• Then exhale, slowly come back to the standing position, and take your arms back to the starting position.

• Repeat the same three to five times.

Benefits

• Tones shoulders, thighs, and waist

• Helps to stretch abdominal muscles

• Helps in relieving shoulder and neck pain

• Helps to cure respiratory disorders

• Improves lung capacity

Contraindications

• Injury in your neck or spine

• Hypertension

• Vertigo or migraine