Lower back, hips, shoulders and wrists

Upward Dog: Bolster Under Pelvis

A bolster under your pelvis supports your body weight, dramatically reducing the spinal extension load and making this chest-opening pose accessible for sensitive backs.

How to do it

1. 1

   Lie face down with a bolster under your pelvis

   The bolster sits under the front of the pelvis, not under the belly or the ribs. Legs long behind you, tops of the feet down.

2. 2

   Place your hands beside your ribs with elbows in

   Fists or blocks under the hands are an option if the wrists want a different angle.

3. 3

   Press the hands down and lift your chest

   The bolster carries the weight of the pelvis, so the chest can rise without the back having to do the lifting.

4. 4

   Keep the shoulders drawing back and the neck long

   Gaze stays forward. The chest travels forward more than it travels up.

5. 5

   Hold 20 to 60 seconds, then rest down

   Bringing the knees to the floor lightens it again.

What to watch for

A bolster that has slid up under the belly or the ribs. Once it moves, the support disappears and the bend gathers low in the back again, which is exactly what this version exists to prevent.

Ways to adjust it

• Knees on floor
• Fists
• Blocks

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Upward Dog: Knees on Floor

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Upward Dog versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Upward Dog: Chair
• Upward Dog: Classic
• Upward Dog: From Plank (Vinyasa)
• Upward Dog: Hands on Blocks
• Upward Dog: Knees on Floor
• Upward Dog: Toes Tucked

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.