Scorpion Pose Evolution
VRISCHIKASANA
SCORPION POSE EVOLUTION
Scorpion Pose, whether practiced in Pincha Mayurasana or in a handstand, blends a backbend with inversion control. It calls for deep opening through the front body, from rib cage to hip flexors and quadriceps. It does this while requiring powerful strength from the back line, glutes, and hamstrings. In the full workshop, Matt talks about the “artificial goal” of touching the toes to the head; a feat influenced as much by body proportions as by flexibility or strength. Even with “ideal proportions,” it’s far from guaranteed, and with “less ideal” proportions, it’s still possible. The essence of Scorpion Pose Evolution isn’t in chasing that single moment; it’s in refining where we place our effort and where we allow surrender.
CHROMATIC LEVEL 1 TRAINING
CHROMATIC LEVEL 1 REGISTRATION
- 40 hours in person with Matt
- Short Online pre-training to maximize in person time together
- Become a Certified Chromatic Yoga Teacher
- Revolutionize your teaching skills
- Gain the strength of the global collective
- All Yoga Teachers get continued ed hours with Yoga Alliance
- Certified Chromatic Teacher’s attending this event will get continued Ed hours toward their next level within Chromatic Yoga
- Chromatic Yoga does not adhere to dogmatic alignment principals, instead you will learn to make deliberate alignment based on intention.
- Residential training – you will book your stay at the Hotel and Spa, close to multiple international Airports
- Location: Our Farm in Connecticut
SCORPION CHAIR DRILLS
The first steps in this evolution are about teaching the spine to bow without losing control. Matt describes it as “softening through the solar plexus,” lengthening the distance between the ribs and the pubic bone. This is a familiar demand in backbends, but in an inversion, the instinct is to contract the front body for protection. Here, the challenge is to do the opposite.
Working with a chair offers security while building this new pattern. Steps in this drill includes:
- Forearms on the ground, feet on a chair (or blocks).
- As the hips lift, there’s a tendency for the chest to shift back—Matt emphasizes bringing it forward instead.
- Bending the knees makes that chest-forward position easier to access.
- The final step is re-extending the legs while keeping the chest forward.
This stage is about coaxing openness where the body wants to close.
WATCH THE VIDEO
SCORPION POSE EVOLUTION: FROM PINCHA TO HANDSTAND VARIATION
CONSTRUCT THE SHAPE
In Chromatic Yoga, poses are constructed through layering, each stage revealing a new physical and mental “click” moment.
Matt moves into a handstand variation with both feet still on the chair, widening the hands slightly, more like Downward Dog than a traditional handstand. This extra width allows more space for the chest to press forward between the arms. Progressions here can include lifting one leg, then alternating sides, or holding a static position to build stamina in the shape.
The emphasis is on uniting the vertical strength of a balance with the heart-opening bow developed earlier, building the full Scorpion from familiar pieces rather than forcing it all at once.
200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE
- Deepen your yoga practice
- Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
- Learn foundational class structures and templates
- Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
- Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
- Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
TAKE IT TO THE WALL
Once the chest-forward action becomes second nature, the wall becomes a partner in refinement and feedback. Matt guides the toes to touch the wall while the chest simultaneously moves toward it. He alternates feet, keeping one foot on the chair to maintain the bowing action.
He points out that in some ways, these drills are more difficult than the final pose, they magnify the challenge of opening the front body while balancing. Progressions include both feet on the wall, heel draws toward the glutes, “double stag” shapes, and half-Scorpion holds. Every step is layered with safety cues, including controlled exits.
The same methodology applies to the handstand version, proving that with the right sequence, the principles translate seamlessly between variations.
300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER
Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!
- Get 500 hour certified
- Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
- Expand your teaching skills
- Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
- Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
- Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
STRENGTH & SURRENDER
Scorpion Pose evolution is a practice in discernment, knowing when to engage powerfully and when to yield. The back body must fire, the front body must release, and the ego must stay in check. Are we straining for a picture-perfect shape, or are we pulling back entirely to avoid the work?
True progress lies in surrendering to the process. Each drill builds familiarity, confidence, and awareness, not just of shoulder and spine mechanics, but of our personal tendencies under challenge. The reward isn’t simply “getting” Scorpion Pose. It’s discovering who we become in the process of learning it.
Take your practice and teaching to a new level in Matt’s upcoming in person Chromatic Global Level 1 30 Hour Training by registering today.
The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
Article by Trish Curling
Video Extracted From: Scorpion 2-Hour Online Workship
ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE
- Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
- Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
- Appropriate for both teachers and students
- Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
- Demystify yoga poses and transitions
- Release aches and pains
- Learn how to avoid common injuries
- Caters to all levels with modifications and props
- 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
- 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
- Lifetime access
Continue Learning
Side Crow Strategy
Side Crow StrategyPARSVA BAKASANASIDE CROW STRATEGY When we step onto the yoga mat with a strategy, we open ourselves up to a practice that’s both intelligent and transformational. Side Crow is one of those postures that calls for a clear plan, one that breaks down...
Build Towards A Bind
Build Towards A BindMOBILITYBUILD TOWARDS A BIND I remember watching a clip on Matt’s Instagram years ago, breaking down how to achieve the bind in Side Angle. At the time, I was chasing the bind the only way I knew how—by trying to get “more open.” I thought the key...
Strong Hands For Handstand
Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....
Handstand Actions
Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...
Handstand Mechanics
Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...
Stable Sirsasana
Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...
THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK
When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to
- the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
- exclusive online course discounts
- exclusive blogs and videos
0 Comments