In Vrschikasana, Vrichika stands for Scorpion (Word Vrchika is taken from Sanskrit) and meaning of Asana is pose, seat or posture. Scorpion Pose is highly challenging yoga pose; so for Vrschikasana – Scorpion Pose, your core, and shoulder should needs to be strong. Scorpion Pose requires more practice and you have to master in Preparatory and Follow Up poses. It’s a good idea if you do few warm – ups pose before you perform this Asana; warm – ups will prepare your muscle for Asana. During doing Vrschikasana, your body looks like a scorpion with arched tail beyond its head and ready to sting. So that’s why Vrschikasana also named as Scorpion pose.
Level of Asana: -Advanced.
Style of Asana: – Ashtanga Yoga style.
Preparatory Poses
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) Head Stand Pose (Shirshasana), Sarvangasana, Pincha Mayurasana, Urdhva Dhanurasana, Adho Mukha Vrikshasana.
Follow-Up Poses
Adho Mukha Svanasana, Dolphin Pose.
Navigator
Steps of Vrschikasana (Scorpion Pose)
- First, kneel down on the ground and incline forward keeping your elbows and forearms touching on the floor with palms facing down.
- Keep your arms distance apart from your shoulder.
- Move your head in forwarding direction and raise it as much as you can; Lift up your buttocks and keep your feet sturdily on the bottoms of your toes (In This step perform Dolphin pose).
- Breathe in, and slowly lift both legs up and keep straight, at the same time maintain your balance.
- After that, try to gently bend your knees and move your legs towards your head try to touch your head with your feet. (Be careful during this; don’t move your legs quickly).
- Hold the position for few seconds or as much as you can.
- For releasing the pose, reverse the above steps and get back to your initial position.
(In the starting keep your legs straight in the line of your head, when you are comfortable on this or you are easily maintaining the balance then bend your knees and move your legs forward and try to touch the head by your feet. It’s very intense Asana so daily practices are very important and perform this pose in front of an expert person. You need more flexibility and strength for this pose. So firstly, master in basic asana, after that try Vrschikasana – Scorpion Pose. Keep a several time gap between your meal and practice).
Benefits of Vrschikasana (Scorpion Pose)
- Vrschikasana strengthens your spine, arms, forearms, and torso. Makes your body flexible.
- Makes your shoulders and legs strong.
- Scorpion Pose stretches and expands your chest, shoulders and hip flexors.
- It is also a kind of cardio, and good for your heart.
- Beneficial for increasing the stamina.
- Scorpion pose requires coordination, strength, perseverance and balance, so Vrschikasana amazingly boosts your sense of balance.
Scorpion Pose: Tips for Beginner
Learners who are just starting Yoga should not perform this asana, attempt theses Asana only if you are perfect in the basic Asana like forearm stand and others balancing poses. Use the support of wall in the initial stage, place your legs on the wall for supporting and maintain the balance.
NOTE
It’s a strict advice for Beginners not to perform this Pose, Vrschikasana – Scorpion yoga Pose comes under Advanced level so first clear the basics level first. In the condition of hip injuries, back problems, high blood pressure, heart diseases and dizziness also. Pregnant women and in menstruating cycle do not attempt this. Please perform all the yogic activities in under the supervision of a well-trained teacher.
(Don’t wish that, you will get all the benefits quickly; it takes time and depends on your practice. So keep practicing).