For most of us, it will take years to fully open the spine, shoulders and pelvis to perform Chakrasana or Wheel pose. It took me over a year of 50 perfect backbends a day, as well as other stretching exercises for my legs and arms. and an almost daily Bikram Beginner’s Yoga practice to get into Wheel, but the feeling of vibrant health and spinal vitality was worth every moment along the way…You should work to develop a regular Bikram practice at a certified studio, and do these exercises on your own, either before class in the heated room, or after our gym workout in a draft-free area. Video tape yourself or work with a partner to make sure you have good alignment, and remember that all asanas need to be practiced with controlled, sustained breathing. In a back extension such as this, the focus should be on inhalation, what Bikram calls, “inhale breathing”. You take a deep breath, filling the lungs, and keeping the lungs full, go into the pose. You should feel like the rib-cage is expanded, and the pneumatic pressure will help lift and open the thoracic body. Don’t hold your breath, and don’t empty your lungs completely. Don’t be surprise if your breathe is ragged at first, or if you start shaking, get a headache, feel dizzy, or even get some numbness down your arms. Just slow down, as it takes time to open this part of the body, and think about relaxing the tight areas, without collapsing into the lower spine or losing your form: feet parallel, wider in the beginner until you open up. arm-distance from the wall, legs straight, arms straight, and hands on the wall at least shoulder-width apart until you open up. Use your eyes to look back behind you and focus on one spot where you want to eventually reach your arms. This will help you balance, it will help you improve flexibility faster, and most importantly it will help to calm your mind. Enjoy!
