Let’s talk Wheel Pose. In yoga, it’s one of those poses that everyone sees and thinks: “Wow, that looks amazing… but also terrifying.” And honestly? That’s kind of the point. Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana) isn’t about bending yourself into a pretzel. It’s strength, mobility, and maybe a little mental toughness too.

I get tons of questions about Wheel Pose, so let’s break it all down. This isn’t a demo, just me answering the big FAQs so you know what you’re working toward and how to do it without wrecking your back (or your confidence).

Wheel Pose is a big, bold backbend. It builds strength in your legs, glutes, arms, and shoulders while opening your chest, spine, and hips. Translation: it’s not just a stretch, it’s a full-body workout disguised as a yoga pose.

In Sanskrit it’s called Urdhva Dhanurasana, which literally means “Upward Bow.” Same thing, just fancier.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana) is Wheel’s warm-up act.

In my classes (live or on-demand), we always do Bridge first. It’s the “don’t skip leg day” of backbends builds the foundation so Wheel feels possible.

Because your body is human, that’s why. A few reasons it might feel like your body is screaming “nope”:

That’s why we prep, strengthen, and warm up before we even think about pressing up.

Why put yourself through all this? Because Wheel delivers.

With progressions, most people can work toward it. But let’s be real, it’s not for everyone.

Skip it (or stick with alternatives) if you’re pregnant, nursing an injury, or if your body just says “not today.”

Great alternatives that still give you the benefits:

Remember: you don’t have to hit the “Instagram version” of Wheel to get stronger and more open.

It’s usually labeled as “advanced,” but that’s just yoga-speak for “takes some practice.” Beginners can absolutely start working toward it.

Start with:

You don’t just roll out of bed, yawn, and press into Wheel (if you do, please don’t tell me 😅). You build toward it.

If Wheel feels funky, here’s why:

Small tweaks = huge difference.

Wheel Pose is a challenge but it’s not out of reach. The real win isn’t the perfect pose for Instagram, it’s the strength, resilience, and confidence you build along the way.

If you’re serious about backbends, check out my Backbend Badass Program. It’s a step-by-step system that takes you from “nope” to “holy crap, I can do this” with:

👉 Click here to join Backbend Badass and start building your strongest, most confident backbends.