Asana · Learn with a teacher
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Upward bow, wheel
Upward bow, or wheel. A full backbend pressing up from the back onto hands and feet, the first of the finishing poses.
Awaiting subject reviewWritten from our source material and not yet checked by a teacher of this practice. Read it as reference, and learn the practice from someone who teaches it.
- Meaning
- urdhva = upward, dhanu = bow, asana = seat or posture
- Family
- Backbend
- Level
- Advanced
- Gaze
- Nose
Take care
Learn this with a teacher. Avoid with back, wrist or shoulder injuries, high blood pressure, or in pregnancy.
Learn this with a teacher
This page is for reading. The practice itself should be learned in person from someone who teaches it, so there are no practice controls here.
Find a teacherHow it is done
- 1
Breathe out
Lie on the back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart and close to the hips.
- 2
Breathe freely
Place the palms beside the ears, fingers pointing toward the shoulders.
- 3
Breathe in
Press into hands and feet and lift the body into an arch, arms straightening. Stay for five breaths, then lower slowly.
Holding it
Five breaths, usually repeated three times.
Making it easier
Practise a supported bridge, shoulders down, instead.
What the tradition says it does
- Opens the chest, shoulders and front of the hips
- Strengthens the arms and legs
Sources and tradition
- YOG Union App Content Map, 2 November 2026, p. 4