- 1). Stand normally on your mat, then widen your stance so your feet are 4 to 5 feet apart. Make certain that your feet are parallel to one another, toes pointing directly forward.
- 2). Place your hands on your hips and pull back your shoulders, straightening your spine and neck.
- 3). Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight, until your upper body is parallel with the ground.
- 4). Place your hands flat against the ground directly beneath your shoulders and allow your upper body to sink down further. If you have trouble keeping your knees straight, let them bend. This is not about loosening the tendons and stretching so much as about loosening the muscles.
- 5). Push your tailbone back and up, allowing your lower abdomen and groin to sink forward. Continue to let your upper body and neck bend forward until your head is completely inverted and you are looking behind yourself through the fork of your legs.
- 6). Place your hands back on your hips and use their positioning to pull your shoulders back against and re-straighten your spine and neck. Use the muscles of your lower back and abdomen to pull your upper body into a normal upright position to finish the pose.