What Is Plough Position And Its Benefits In Yoga

In today’s world where our lives have become so busy and quick-paced, we do not realize that how much physical stress and therefore imbalance our body goes through.

The neck and back are the most vulnerable areas of the human body and take most of the beating. If you sit slouched for prolonged periods or you stand in an incorrect position, you put your neck and lower back muscles under tremendous stress. To help combat neck and back problems, you can try out various Asanas (poses) in Yoga. One of the most popular Asana (pose) is the Plough Pose.

The Plough pose is very simple to perform and only requires a floor mat.  Start by lying down in a comfortable position with your back resting on the mat. Position your shoulders on the edge of the mat with your legs resting in a relaxed manner. Now slowly lift your hips and try to get your legs over your head. After this, raise your back and extend your legs beyond your head. The next step is to lengthen your spine by keeping it straight and moving your hands towards your back. Position your hands as close as possible to your shoulders while keeping your arms against your back. Make sure your elbows are positioned properly at shoulder-width. Stretch your back and at the same time place your legs slowly backwards. It’s important to keep your breathing relaxed and steady with the movement of your neck and shoulder muscles. Now slowly come back to the starting position and rest for a few moments before repeating the next set.

The Plough Pose specifically targets in strengthening your neck and lower back muscles and helps in shaping your body structure. Apart from its physical advantages, this position also helps to aid digestion and improves your kidney functioning. There are certain precautionary measures, which have to be taken for the Plough pose. It is not advisable for patients suffering from Hernia to get into the Plough Position as it puts tremendous pressure on that particular region. Also women who are pregnant should avoid this pose as it puts strain on their abdomen muscles.

Practice the Plough Pose daily to strengthen your neck and back regions. In time you will notice an improvement in the functioning of your neck and back muscles. Make sure that you have a correct posture and you will have less back problems even after a long day at work.