Legs Up the Wall

If you don’t know this pose, you should. It is in my opinion possibly the best yoga pose ever. Because it involves zero effort and offers amazing benefits. I learned about this pose as a youngster, as my mom was badass and did legs up the wall every night before bed, for decades. And nary a varicose vein ever landed on her legs. It works. It is so relaxing and and is actually a great way to unwind after your day. If you have been on your feet all day, then it is really important to do in order to flush the fluids out of your lower extremities. Think about it. When you stand all day your heart has to pump a lot of blood constantly down to your legs and feet. When you invert the legs above the head, you give your heart a rest. You let the blood from the legs and feet flow and settle somewhat up into the upper body. It also is a great break for your muscles, tendons and ligaments. When you get pregnant you will soon see how your body begins to hold onto more fluid. When you carry a fetus, you not only have to pump your blood but you now have to make and support the babies blood supply too. Your blood volume will DOUBLE!! How crazy is that?!!! And it happens pretty early on. That’s one of the reasons why pregnant women get dizzy and get a rapid heartbeat or out of breath easily. Your body is working overtime and triple time to make a healthy baby. I tend to be a sweller and now being pregnant I am really feeling it. I generally try to do legs up the wall everyday but now I HAVE to do it or my legs hurt. I was on my feet for 8 hours today, which is way too much when 24 weeks preggo, and therefore have legs up the wall on my brain. Been doing it for the past hour. It is great to do after exercising, if you ate too much salt the night before and are bloated, before and after you travel by plane, after a long and stressful day, and most importantly when you need a little nurturing. I even teach my 4 olds this pose and they love it. It just makes you feel good! You can do it in bed with your legs against the wall. Can prop yourself up in pillows while doing this and reading, watching tv, meditating or just unwinding. Can also do lying on the ground with your bottom pressed against the wall and legs straight up the wall above your head. Arms can be however you like but my favorite is to have them open down to the sides, palms up. To get into the pose, sit next to the wall, hips and shoulder flush against the wall. Then gently lie down onto your side, roll onto your back and bring one then two legs up the wall. Voila, there you are. 5-30 or more minutes is great. Just feel it out. Should feel good, if it doesn’t then stop. Do not do until the legs go numb. Having the legs above the head is technically an inversion just like headstand, handstand and shoulderstand. You get a lot of the benefits while not really having to do any of the work. Anxiety washes away, the breath becomes slow and even, depression lifts and the good hormones swim throughout your body. So give yourself a big treat and give it a try.

Xoxox, McLean