Shoulder stand

Sarvangasana

The “Queen of the Postures” and a classic full inversion, it gives you a quiet but full energy. You stand on your shoulders and upper arms and stretch up the whole body to the sky. Arms parallel, fingers horizontal, hands actively lift the back.

Chest open, shoulders and elbows on the blankets, but not the neck.

Because of shoulder stiffness, the elbows usually spread out too far. You can correct this by tying a belt round the upper arms to keep them parallel.

You should not do this posture if you:

• Suffer from high blood pressure
• Have a detached retina
• Feel any pressure in the head or neck
• Have your period