Supported Shoulder Stand
What Is the Supported Shoulder Stand?
Supported Shoulder Stand is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, with the glutes, core, inner thighs and the backs of the arms working to hold the body upside down in one straight line. It is an intermediate-level yoga inversion in which the weight rests on the tops of the shoulders and the backs of the upper arms, while the hands support the back.
In yoga the pose is called Salamba Sarvangasana, and the "supported" in its name refers to those hands on the back. Without them the trunk tends to sag and the weight slides toward the neck. It usually sits near the end of a yoga practice, often flows into Plow Pose, and is commonly followed by Fish Pose to move the neck and upper back the other way. In a training program it works as an isometric hold for body awareness and trunk and hip control while inverted, not as a strength builder for any one muscle.
The spinal erectors do the most work, keeping the trunk lifted off the floor instead of rounding, while the glutes keep the hips extended so the legs stay stacked over the torso. The inner thighs squeeze the legs together, the abdominals stop the ribs flaring and the lower back arching, and the upper arms press into the floor to keep the base wide and steady. Bending the knees or keeping the hips lower in a half shoulder stand, where the body sits at an angle and the hands support the hips, makes it easier and keeps more weight off the shoulders.
The pose suits yoga practitioners and anyone with a healthy neck who wants a held inversion, and it is often taught before the Supported Headstand. If it is too hard, build up with Bridge Pose, legs up the wall with the hips on a folded blanket, and the half shoulder stand, and use a Reverse Crunch to build the control needed to lift the hips off the floor. People with neck problems, glaucoma or high blood pressure should choose a different pose.
Muscles Worked
- Erector Spinae
- Primary
- Gluteus Maximus
- High
- Adductor Magnus
- Medium
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Medium
- Rectus Abdominis
- Medium
- Deltoid
- Low
- Rectus Femoris
- Minimal
Instructions
- Lie on your back on a mat with your legs straight and your arms by your sides, palms down.
- Bend your knees and draw them toward your chest.
- Press your arms into the floor and roll your hips up off the mat, letting your knees come over your face.
- Bend your elbows and place your hands on your back, fingers pointing toward your hips, with your elbows about shoulder-width apart.
- Walk your hands toward your shoulder blades to lift your trunk until your hips are stacked over your shoulders.
- Straighten your legs toward the ceiling, keep them together and point your toes, so your body forms one vertical line.
- Rest your weight on the tops of your shoulders and the backs of your upper arms, keeping your head still and your gaze straight up.
- Hold for the set time, breathing slowly through your nose.
- To come down, bend your knees toward your forehead, release your hands to the floor and roll your spine down slowly until your hips reach the mat.
Common Mistakes
Weight on the neck
Letting the body tip back toward the face loads the head and neck instead of the tops of the shoulders and the upper arms.
Turning the head
Looking around while inverted twists a neck that is already bent forward under load.
Elbows splaying wide
Elbows that slide wider than the shoulders collapse the base, so the hands can no longer hold the back up.
Hands too low on the back
Hands left near the hips let the trunk sag into a banana shape, so walk them toward the shoulder blades to lift the chest toward the chin.
Kicking up into the pose
Swinging the legs up with momentum jolts the neck, so roll the hips up with bent knees under control.
Dropping out of the pose
Letting the hips fall on the way down jerks the neck, so bend the knees and lower the spine one segment at a time.
Injuries
Supported Shoulder Stand is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The main strain point is the neck, which is held in deep flexion with part of the body's weight above it, while the shoulders, upper back and lower back take the rest of the load. A systematic review of published yoga injury case reports found the shoulder stand among the poses most often linked to adverse events, alongside the headstand and lotus variations, and two of its three shoulder stand cases involved the eyes.
Keep the weight on the tops of the shoulders and the backs of the upper arms, never on the head or neck. Keep the head still and facing straight up, because turning it twists a neck that is already bent under load. Many teachers place a firm stack of folded blankets under the shoulders and upper arms, with the head resting on the floor beyond the edge, so the neck has to bend less. Keep the elbows about shoulder-width apart, and roll in and out of the pose slowly with bent knees instead of kicking up or dropping down.
To regress, use Bridge Pose, legs up the wall with the hips on a folded blanket, or a half shoulder stand with the hands under the hips. Progress by holding the full pose longer, starting at about 30 seconds and building gradually toward 2 to 3 minutes, and only move into Plow Pose once the shoulder stand is steady.
Avoid the pose with a neck injury or cervical disc problem, glaucoma or other eye conditions, high blood pressure, heart conditions, osteoporosis of the spine, or during pregnancy unless a clinician has cleared it. Head-down positions raise pressure in the eyes, which is why eye doctors advise glaucoma patients against shoulder stands. Come down right away if you feel neck pain, tingling or numbness in the arms or hands, a headache, pressure in the eyes or head, dizziness, or any change in vision.
- Primary Focus
- Back
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Yoga
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Supported Shoulder Stand
The Supported Shoulder Stand is also known as:
- Salamba Sarvangasana
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Is the Supported Shoulder Stand bad for your neck?
Not for most people with a healthy neck, as long as the weight stays on the shoulders and upper arms, the head stays still and the neck is never forced. With a history of neck injury or a cervical disc problem, skip it and use legs up the wall or Bridge Pose instead.
- Q: Should I put blankets under my shoulders?
Many teachers recommend a firm stack of folded blankets under the shoulders and upper arms, with the head on the floor beyond the edge, because it reduces how far the neck has to bend. If you practice flat on the mat, keep your holds short and come down at the first sign of neck discomfort.
- Q: How long should I hold a shoulder stand?
Start with about 30 seconds, or 5 to 8 slow breaths, and add a few seconds each session while the neck stays comfortable. Experienced practitioners often build toward 2 to 3 minutes.
- Q: How is a shoulder stand different from a headstand?
In the Supported Shoulder Stand the weight rests on the shoulders and upper arms with the neck bent forward, while in the Supported Headstand the forearms carry most of the load with the crown of the head lightly on the floor. Both load the neck, and the shoulder stand is usually taught first.
- Q: What should I do after a shoulder stand?
Lie flat on your back for a few breaths so the blood pressure in your head settles before you sit up. Many yoga sequences then add a gentle Fish Pose to move the neck and upper back the other way.