Restorative
Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)
Viparīta Karaṇīविपरीत करणी· vip-uh-REE-tah kah-RAH-neeinverted action; the 'legs up' restorative pose
Legs-Up-the-Wall is a gentle, restorative inversion: you lie on your back with the hips near a wall and the legs resting up it. Calming and easy to hold, it's a soothing way to rest tired legs and quiet the nervous system.
Step by step
- 1
Sit beside the wall
Sit sideways with one hip as close to the wall as you comfortably can.
- 2
Swing the legs up
Lie back and swing both legs up the wall, shuffling your hips in until they are close to or resting against it.
Breath: Exhale as you settle
- 3
Rest and open
Let the arms rest out to the sides, palms up. Soften the belly, jaw and shoulders and let the legs be supported by the wall.
- 4
Stay and breathe
Stay for anywhere from two to ten minutes, breathing slowly and evenly.
Breath: Slow, quiet breath
- 5
Come out gently
To finish, bend the knees, roll to one side, rest a moment, then press up slowly.
Benefits
- Calms the nervous system and eases stress
- Relieves tired, heavy legs and feet
- A soothing wind-down before sleep
- Gently encourages circulation back from the legs
Common mistakes
- Placing the hips too far from the wall so the pose feels unstable
- Straining to keep the legs perfectly straight — a soft bend is fine
- Staying so long the legs go numb
Modifications & variations
- Place a folded blanket or bolster under the hips for support
- Keep a slight bend in the knees or let the feet rest lower
- Move the hips a little away from the wall for the legs to rest more
Related poses
Video transcriptIn this session, Yoga & You Teaching Faculty demonstrates how beginners can use wall support to safely lift and hold their legs up in Viparita Karani.
Namaste, welcome to Yoga & You. This is Yoga & You Teaching Faculty, a freelance yoga instructor based in Chennai, and we are here at the Rutlanga Yoga Studio.
So if you are a beginner and you are still working on the shoulder stand sequence and you are not able to lift your legs up on your own, then don't worry, you can always use the wall support.
So you want to come closer to your wall and place your butt as close as possible, preferably a wall instead of a glass, but it's okay. So just begin to lie down comfortably and place both your legs all the way up, and still just put yourself closer to your wall and your butt as close as possible, and now from here just walk with your heels all the way up. See, and there you have it.
So by this method you can bring your hips off the mat and try to roll your shoulders inside and bring your palms wide and nice under your hips, and slowly keep breathing. So maintain the posture for a longer time so that your elbows are getting used to the weight of your body, and then from here slowly lift your leg one by one for 3, 2, 1, and relax, and the other side for 3, 2, 1, and slowly relax, just sliding your body all the way down and relax.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should I stay in Legs-Up-the-Wall?
- Anywhere from two to ten minutes is lovely. Come out sooner if your legs tingle or go numb.
- Is Legs-Up-the-Wall good before bed?
- Yes — it's one of the most calming poses there is and makes a gentle wind-down that can help you relax before sleep.
References
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika — Viparita Karani among the inverted practices. · Classical text — Traditional context for the inverted 'legs up' action.