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Mobility · Yoga

Plow Pose

Plow Pose is a shoulder-supported yoga inversion with your legs reaching overhead. It stretches the back of your body while requiring abdominal control to enter and leave the position.

Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.

  • Advanced
  • Higher injury risk
  • No rest timer
Video by YOGA WITH AMIT on YouTube

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with your shoulders supported by a folded blanket, your head resting on the mat beyond its edge.
  2. Draw your knees toward your chest.
  3. Lift your hips from the mat, bringing your bent legs overhead.
  4. Support your back with your hands, elbows resting on the blanket.
  5. Extend your legs overhead until your toes rest on a stable chair seat or the floor behind your head.
  6. Hold your hips above your shoulders for the prescribed time.
  7. Bend your knees toward your forehead.
  8. Roll your back slowly onto the mat until your hips settle.

Form cues

  • Weight on shoulders, not your neck.
  • Keep your throat soft.
  • Breathe slowly and evenly.
  • Keep your elbows close.

Common mistakes

  • Kicking into the poseUse a controlled abdominal lift rather than swinging your legs to raise your hips.
  • Forcing straight kneesKeep your knees slightly bent if straightening them pulls your pelvis out of position.

Safety

Shifting weight onto your neck or turning your head while inverted can strain the neck. An uncontrolled entry or exit can overload your neck or back.

  • Learn the supported setup with a qualified yoga instructor before practicing alone.
  • Keep your head still throughout the inversion; come down before looking sideways.
  • If using a chair, place it behind your head against a wall before starting, with the seat within comfortable reach of your toes.
  • End the hold if you feel neck pressure, pain, tingling, dizziness, or difficulty breathing.

If you have neck problems, glaucoma, or uncontrolled high blood pressure, get advice from a doctor or physiotherapist before attempting this inversion.

Muscles worked

Front
Back

Primary muscles

  • Traps

Secondary muscles

  • Abs
  • Hamstrings
  • Lower Back
  • Triceps

Equipment

  • Yoga Blanket
  • Yoga Chair (optional)
  • Yoga Mat

Sets and reps

Sets
1–2
Target
10–20 seconds
Rest
No rest timer

Start with a brief, supported hold rather than trying to reach the floor.

Variations

Easier