Wheel Pose Yoga Pose

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart, heels tucked close to your glutes.
2. Place your palms on the floor beside your ears with fingers pointing toward your shoulders.
3. Tuck your elbows in toward your midline so they point directly toward the ceiling.

How to do it

1. Inhale and press into your hands and feet to lift your hips, briefly resting the crown of your head on the mat to reset your alignment.
2. Exhale and push firmly through your palms and feet to straighten your arms, lifting your head and torso into a full arch.
3. Hold the peak position while breathing deeply, focusing on pushing your chest toward the wall behind you.
4. To exit, tuck your chin toward your chest and slowly lower your spine to the floor one vertebra at a time.

Form checklist

• Keep your feet parallel and avoid letting your toes turn outward.
• Engage your inner thighs to prevent your knees from splaying apart.
• Distribute weight evenly across your palms, pressing through the base of the index fingers.
• Keep your neck relaxed and allow your head to hang naturally.
• Maintain active glutes to support the lower back without over-clenching.

Pro tips

• Focus on lengthening the tailbone toward the back of the knees to create space in the lumbar spine and prevent pinching.
• Think about 'opening your heart' by pushing your sternum away from your feet to maximize thoracic extension and shoulder engagement.

Make it harder

• Lift one leg straight toward the ceiling to challenge stability and unilateral glute strength.
• Walk your hands closer to your feet to increase the intensity of the spinal arch and shoulder stretch.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the wheel pose yoga pose work?

The wheel pose yoga pose primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the abs, erector spinae, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the wheel pose yoga pose?

The wheel pose yoga pose requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the wheel pose yoga pose good for beginners?

The wheel pose yoga pose is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

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• Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius