Yoga is a very comprehensive physical practice. It can be very rigorous or very relaxing. In a rigorous practice you might see inversions – meaning turning upside down. There are many benefits of this concept but rigorous inversions aren’t really necessary for elite competitive athletes. For that reason, we love supplementing rigorous inversions with a simple relaxing pose, simply titled ‘legs up the wall’. Taking this type of an inversion gives you all the benefits of turning upside down without straining the body or putting weight on the cervical spine and shoulders. And a bonus, it’s super easy for beginners to do anywhere! 

Legs up the wall has many therapeutic benefits, from relieving stress to reducing headaches. But specifically for athletes during a tournament weekend, this pose can prepare the athlete for deep relaxation when done shortly before sleep. Big qualifiers and national tournaments can increase stress and anxiety among athletes, which can quickly be reversed by this simple pose as it literally calms the central nervous system. And for those injured athletes, legs up the wall can reduce knee or ankle pain and tension in the low back. 

Aside from calming the central nervous system, this magic pose can simply alleviate exhausted legs, calm your mind, increase focus, gently stretch the hamstrings and relieve cramps! I don’t mean to brag but the list goes on. Legs up the wall can improve circulation and reduce swelling and inflammation in the lower extremities. Because we reverse the blood flow in this pose it has the potential to reduce the risk of blood clots. 


Here’s how to do this pose:

  1. Find a wall and sit next to it in the fetal position, with one side hugging close to the wall. 
  2. Lie down with your back on the floor while your legs simultaneously swing up to rest against the wall in a vertical position. 
  3. If needed, slide your glutes closer to the wall so your legs feel completely supported by the wall and your pelvis is in a neutral position. 
  4. Your hips, back and head should rest comfortably on the floor. 
  5. You can relax your arms on your torso or bring your arms over head at a 90 degree angle for an added pec opener. 
  6. We encourage you to stay in this position for 10 minutes, if possible. 
  7. If at any time you feel uncomfortable, simply slide yourself away from the wall and lie flat on your back with your legs extended out.

BONUS: If you’d like an added adductor (groin) stretch, you can simply widen your legs into a ‘V’ position or simply bring the soles of the feet together for bound angle pose on the wall; more commonly known as butterfly. 

Now give it a try! Use this link to register for a video to guide you through “legs up the wall” and start with 5 minutes today!

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About the Author

Patricia Bomar is the co-owner of Yoga Athletex LLC with her sister, Kalynn Evans. She was an athlete from the age of 4, playing multiple sports competitively at the club level for 14 years. Her college years included club and intramural sports. She earned her B.S. in Sport Management from Texas A&M in 2007. While studying she worked under the TAMU Track & Field coach, as a personal trainer following the NSCA – CSCS program. At the time she was also a volleyball and softball coach and was an avid member of CrossFit. In 2013 she earned her 200 hour yoga certification and in 2015 earned her 300 hour yoga certification. Currently she has earned the ERYT500 standard. Shortly after, she became certified in Functional Movement Systems (FMSC). In 2017, she acquired her NASM – CPT certificate and continues to attend several intensives and workshops to stay up to date with current exercise science. Her latest certification was the fitness nutrition specialist (FNS) acquired through NASM. She is currently an official education provider for the National Academy of Sport Medicine, Athletics and Fitness Association of America and the Yoga Alliance. With over 17 years experience, Patricia has a strong passion for bringing the healing benefits of yoga to her fellow athletes for injury prevention and increased performance.