Asana: Pose
Lolasana at a Glance
Lolasana is an advanced arm balance yoga pose and is also called the pendant pose and a part of the Primary series of Ashtanga yoga. This is a prep pose for the Tolasana Pose. Lolasana was previously known as Jula and resembles a swing in between your arms. Lolasana stimulates the Muladhara and the Manipura chakra.
Benefits:
- This helps to prepare you for the Tolasana pose.
- This pose helps to strengthen your hands shoulders and wrists.
- This pose is a part of the flow yoga sequence as this helps to boost your energy.
- This helps to enhance the strength of your core, biceps, and triceps.
Who can do it?
This is an advanced yoga pose, so advanced yoga Practitioners can do this pose. Intermediate yoga practitioners can do this initially under the guidance of the yoga teacher. Individuals with good core and arm strength can attempt this pose. Weight lifters and sportspersons can do this pose.
Who should not do it?
Beginners should avoid doing this pose. People with weak wrists should avoid doing it. Individuals having injuries in their shoulders, wrists or back should avoid it. Any surgery to your shoulder, back, abdomen, or wrist should avoid it. Pregnant women should avoid doing this pose.
How to Do Lolasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
- The Pendant pose yoga practice needs a lot of arm and core strength, but this comes with consistent practice and patience, and not in a single practice.
- See that you prepare your body for this pose, with arm balance and core strengthening yoga postures so that you don’t end up in sprain or pain. Practice in in morning and an empty stomach.
- The step is to come to the Vajrasana pose (thunderbolt pose), folding your knees, sitting on your heel, and keeping your arms to your sides.
- Keep your Back straight and your shoulders broad take some deep breaths, release your stress, and energize.
- Now as your arms are on the sides of the body, place your palms on the floor or the blocks, whichever is comfortable, next to your knees (a bit away from your knees).
- Take a deep breath press your hands against the floor exhale (tuck your navel to the spine) and extend your upper body.
- Ground your palms on the floor, combining with your core, wrist, shoulder, and back strength, while keeping the grip of the fingers, and slowly lift your body to the floor.
- Here keep your ankles crossed, engage your core, and let your breath give strength to your palms and body to get this pose.
- Now keeping your core and your arms engaged and fingers gripped and push your lower ankles upward, slowly swing your body front and back.
- hold this pose for a few breaths or at your comfortable limit.
You can do this pose, by keeping the blocks under your palms, which would help to keep your back straight and not round your shoulders and help to keep space between your shoulder blades.
What are the Benefits of Lolasana?
- It helps to strengthen your shoulders, ankles, and upper arms.
- It strengthens your hip flexors, wrists, legs, lower back, and lower body.
- It strengthens your abdominal muscles and enhances spinal flexibility.
- It enhances your arm strength and prepares you for more advanced arm balancing poses.
- It helps to increase focus and concentration and enhances balance and patience.
- It helps to tone your body parts.
- This pose helps to gain confidence and willpower.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Lolasana
- This asana practice helps to improve your digestion process as it works on your abdomen.
- For people looking to strengthen their core and upper body, this pose can help if practiced regularly.
- Holding the final pose helps boost your confidence level, which enhances your mental and physical well-being.
- Lolasana pose can help you with mild back pain.
- This can help to improve your focus and concentration, which is helpful in your everyday life and keeps you away from stress and anxiety.
Safety and Precautions
- People with high blood pressure and heart issues should avoid, or consult their health care professional.
- People with carpal tunnel syndrome or any eye problem should avoid this pose.
- People with arthritis should consult their healthcare professional.
- Do the warmup and the preparatory yoga poses to strengthen your core and arms.
- Use props for better support and safety.
- Respect and listen to your body, be consistent and develop gradually.
Common Mistakes
- Keep your core engaged for better stability and balance.
- Avoid rounding your back.
- Avoid holding your breath.
- Avoid rushing into the pose and do it mindfully.
- If you experience any pain or discomfort, just come out of the pose.
- Initially do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher, in the yoga classes.
- Follow the physical alignment principles.
Tips for Lolasana
- Practice the pendant pose in the morning on an empty stomach or 4 to 5 hours after the meal.
- Warm-up is very important and practice it on a yoga mat.
- Keep your core muscles engaged throughout the pose.
- Keep your arms and thighs engaged, your fingers grounded and pointed in the front.
- Gaze a bit ahead to maintain stability.
- While leaning forward, put the weight of the body on the wrists and stay here as your hips
- Use props if needed.
Physical Alignment Principles for Lolasana
- Spread your fingers wide, and press against the ground.
- Your palm should be placed a bit wider than the shoulder distance.
- Keep the ankles crossed.
- Keep your arms straight and lean slightly forward.
- Tuck your navel to the spine and keep the core engaged.
- Keep your back slightly rounded for better balance and support.
- Gaze at a steady point to maintain the balance.
- Your hips should be lifted slightly back and upward and lean forward.
- Both feet are off the ground.
- Keep your toes pointed.
- Pull knees to the chest.
- Your biceps are engaged and your shoulders are strong.
- Use yoga blocks under your palms if needed for comfort.
Lolasana and Breath
Take some deep breaths while in the Vajrasana or thunderbolt pose. Inhale deeply and engage your core, grip your palms to the floor, now exhale deeply, bring your feet closer, tuck your navel to the spine lift your body keep your breath continuous, and lift your entire body, by engaging your legs and arms.
Hold the pose, keep breathing gently, and engage your Mulabandha. Connect your breath to keep the pose stable and feel the stretch and strength in your arms. Breathing will help to keep your balance and stability.
Lolasana and Variations
- Lolasana or pendant pose with blocks under your palms.
- Tolasana or the Scale pose in Padmasana pose.
- Crow poses.
- Utthita Lolasana pose.
- Practice this pose with the help of the chair.
The Bottom Line
The Lolasana yoga pose is a challenging arm balance (peak pose), also known as ‘jhula’ which may not be possible initially but can get it with regular practice. This pendant pose helps to increase the upper body strength and the flexibility of your whole body. Progress slowly, by respecting your body and building your confidence level, and get your mind and body connection which will get you to this pose.
Initially, do this yoga practice under the guidance of a yoga teacher, and if any health concerns consult your health care professional. Make sure to do the warmup, and preparatory, and use the props if needed. Coordinate the pose movement with breath, which gives you more stability and balance which helps to improve your self-confidence and willpower and calms your body and mind.
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