Plough pose (of if you are in the US, plow pose) is a yoga pose inversion known as halasana. In yoga an inversion typically refers to ...SkiptocontentPloughpose(ofifyouareintheUS,plowpose)isayogaposeinversionknownashalasana.Inyogaaninversiontypicallyreferstoinvertingthebodyorapositionwheretheheadislowerthantheheart.Fullversionofploughpose;ImagefromGaia.comPloughposeisanadvancedpose.Inrequiresflexibilityinthehamstrings,hips,shoulderandspine.Inaddition,inthefullversion,thecervicalspineisplacedintoextremeflexionandbodyweightcanbetransferredtotheupperbodyandneckwhentheyareinavulnerableposition.I’vewrittenbeforeaboutwhyIavoidthesetypesofposesinmyyogaclassesandploughposeisnoexception.Butitispossibletoadaptthisposeandstillgetthebenefits,bothrelaxingandalsostretchingthehips,hamstringsandback.Manyadaptationstothisposeinvolveusingblanketsundertheshoulders,butthisstillresultsinsignificantflexionandpressureontheneck.Sothisversionisfarmoreadaptedandputsnopressureontheneck,allowingthenecktoremaininaneutralposition.Infact,it’salmostavariationoflegsupthewall(viparitakarani).Youshouldstillavoidthisversionifyouhaveneckinjuriesorspinalinjuries,orhavehighbloodpressureorarepronetomigraines.Andtobeextracareful,avoidturningyourheadtothesideonceyoumoveintotheposition(keeplookingupattheceiling).Todothisyouwillneedabolsterorthickpillowsthatwillallowyoutoelevateyourhipsatleast10to20centimetresofftheground.Whenyoucomeoutofthepose,takeyourtimetorestonyoursidebeforesittingupslowly.Thenmoveyourspinetocountertheaffectsofthebodyposition–thinkabouttwistingyourupperbodyandgentlyroundingandarchingyourspine.Watchthebriefvideoorseetheinstructionsbelow.Sitonthebolsterorpillowsthatelevateyourhipsabout10-20centimetres.Liebackusingyourhandsandelbowstohelpyouloweryoudowntothefloor.Justyourbuttocks/hipsshouldbeonthepillows.Oneatatimeliftyourfeetoffthefloorandeaseyourkneestowardsyourchest.Youshouldfeelasifgravityishelpingyoukeepyourfeetoffthefloor.Ifyoufeelthatgravityispullingyourfeetbackdown,movethepillowsawa