Full Wheel

Full Wheel

Urdhva Dhanurasana

FULL WHEEL

Teaching an intentional class becomes inevitable when following the Chromatic system that Matt created .  In Chromatic, we’re following a system that sets up the body for maximum execution within our fullest potential.  When it comes to more “challenging” postures like Full Wheel, it’s imperative to prepare the body for ultimate safety.  Full Wheel puts us in a vulnerable shape due to the extreme spinal extension that’s required.  

If we’re teaching a yoga class, then setting our students up for success means that we need to be clear on the step by step process of teaching a layered posture like Wheel.  There are specifics for the shoulders, upper body, and hips that are highlighted.  In the video, Matt offers the cues and formula for the perfect road map to guide our students.  It offers an opportunity to direct our students rather than just mentioning a fleeting option within our classes.

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SET UP THE SHOULDERS

Drills like we see in the first part of today’s clip help to warm up the shoulders, but also creates lasting, increased shoulder mobility when practiced consistently.

Now, another important detail is positioning. There is some controversy when teaching full wheel about whether or not to instruct to place the hands wide, or closer together.  Some say it depends on the student, (which is true), but we may also consider the viewpoint Matt offers.

He teaches that having hands wide in full wheel gives more access to the shoulder muscles and external rotation in the arm bones.  This will help our students and ourselves get into the back body more.  This means, more into the rhomboid muscles by squeezing  the shoulder blades towards one another which will trigger erector spinae in the upper back. The upper back activation ultimately increases the backbend to make it more accessible.

WATCH THE VIDEO

FULL WHEEL: TIPS FOR TEACHING THE TECHNIQUES

UPPER BACK VS. LOWER BACK

Of course the low back and pelvis are a part of the equation, but bringing more focus into the upper back will create accessibility and improved range of motion.  

When we watch the video, we see the importance of trajectory.  The timing of straightening the arms when coming up to full wheel directly influences our push into the upper back vs. the lower back.  If we teach or try ourselves to lengthen the arms too early, we run the risk of pushing with a more forward trajectory towards the feet, therefore into the lower back.  This may cause increased compression in that area.  If we set our students up against a wall (same as the video), we can cue “chest to the wall, then push through the arms”.  This will encourage the upper back to mobilize and bring the trajectory more upward.

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FROM THE FEET STRAIGHT INTO THE HIPS

There 2 terms Matt consistently utilizes in Chromatic yoga.  They are; “Fundamental Action” (focusing on the muscles that are creating the action that you need) and Balancing Action (focusing on the muscle engagement of the opposing action of what our intention is).

When teaching Full Wheel, we cue extension of the hips, (which will naturally create external rotation), there must be follow up.  We do want to teach and/or employ some internal rotation for counter muscular engagement, but Matt stresses that it’s not to the point where we are inhibiting the fundamental action.

Ultimately, place the feet where they comfortably land (a nice marker for the feet is placing the big toes more forward).  It’s about where we have the most power in the feet to drive through the heels, so that the hips extend and we activate the gluteus muscles for a more vertical trajectory.

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300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

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TEACHING OVER OFFERING

Now equipped with more insight into technique, we have the capability to offer Full Wheel in our classes with more intention.  Safely guiding our students is always a priority.  When we can offer step by step instruction and we can actually prepare the body for “bigger movements and shapes”, we have more confidence and so do our students.  

There are many who can “get into the shape” with ease, but we can extract increased potential from ourselves and our students when we explore techniques that support muscle engagements that increase mobilization.

Check out Matt’s upcoming 2025 Italy Retreat.  Learn how to maximize your potential as a students and/or a teacher.  Secure your spot here.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

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Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Vinyasa Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

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
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Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

heart opener

WAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE

We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial setup to the final expression, everything flows like a set of dominoes falling one after the other. When we don’t have a system of execution with knowledge, practice, and preparation behind it, our Wheel Pose can feel quite listless. So the question becomes, how can we wake it up and revive such a powerful posture? There are a few things to pack into the toolkit in order to find our greatest potential in Wheel Pose, but one of the simplest things Matt encourages us to be aware of is DIRECTION. This plays a key role in cultivating the experience we desire.

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UP AGAINST THE WALL

If you’ve taken classes, workshops, or courses with Matt, then you’ll know that it’s of the utmost importance to take an intelligent approach to a posture, or in other words, to progress toward it; progression is part of the Chromatic way. When practicing the Chromatic system, we break things down into digestible pieces.

At the beginning of today’s video, Matt demonstrates a Wheel Pose drill up against the wall. This drill removes the weight of gravity, allowing us focus on techniques that create more depth in spinal extension. This focus helps us get sensationally in touch with areas of the spine that require careful attention in order to take care in creating further mobilization. We gain the first inkling of the importance of direction, that is, where we send the chest and feet.  You’ll see that once Matt walks away from the wall, he sends his chest forward and then up to the sky.

WATCH THE VIDEO

WAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE: DELIBERATE DIRECTION & ALIGNMENT

ROLL UP YOUR YOGA MAT

Standing upright in the first drill allows for a fair amount of “easy” exploration. As we begin to feel more confident, we can progress further. So next, we get down in order to get up.  

The next progression in the video is an exploration of Wheel in which we roll up a yoga mat against the wall. Here, we also get a sense of the placement of the forearms. Directing them in a wider, outward angle helps unlock the shoulders and again move the direction of Wheel Pose towards the wall. Matt explains that when the forearms are pulled closer together, it places the shoulders into a more locked position, pushing the direction of the pose into the feet. This is not where we want to be when attempting to maximize depth.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

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

WHEEL WITH BLOCKS

Here, we swap out the yoga mat for a couple of yoga blocks placed diagonally against the wall. Something to consider here is that even if the feet are not placed far away from the wall, we want to create the sense of a directional pull of the knees away from the wall as we lift the chest up and towards the wall. There is an oppositional pull between the chest and the knees. What may result is less bend in the knees in the final stages of the posture because of the softening of the heart and the depth created in the spinal extension.  

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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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

TEST OUT THE OPPOSITE

The sensations of the opposite ways we can feel in Wheel Pose are discussed above: We can feel listless and languid, or rather the desired opposite of the spectrum, namely vibrant, strong, and fully awake.

The only way to understand this is through exploration and practice. Through exploration, we can spend time slightly exaggerating where we “should not be” in the pose. Try it! Move deliberately in the opposite direction to investigate the outcomes.  

At the end of the video, Matt first pushes his Wheel Pose in the direction of the feet, but you can see that adjusting by walking the feet out and then pushing in the direction of the wall changes everything about the posture. Changing the alignment and moving in the “right” direction transforms our experience.

Check out Matt’s recent workshop, Freedom of the Heart, to dive deeper into these concepts and transform your backbending practice.

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: Freedom of the Heart Workshop 

lotus pose online yoga classes

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

Turtle Pose To Titibhasana

Turtle Pose To Titibhasana

Turtle Pose To TitibhasanaKurmasanaTURTLE POSE TO TITIBHASANA Turtle Pose is not tiny by any means.  There is a great deal that goes into its preparation.  At the same time, it’s also an excellent preparatory posture for Titibhasana.  The journey between these two...

read more
Full Wheel

Full Wheel

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read more
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  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get A Wheel Pose Upgrade

Get a Wheel Pose Upgrade

Prop Options to Refine Your Alignment

urdhva dhanurasana

WHEEL POSE

Okay, buckle up for this one! These drills and variations are about to literally flip you upside down for Wheel Pose. The unique ways in which Matt demonstrates how to use props will help you get a Wheel Pose upgrade. Even if you think you have a grasp on what’s required for the pose, today’s video provides techniques that lead you away from common tendencies and guide you towards improved patterning in this heart opener. Adding to your toolkit as regards the preparation and execution of various asanas is vital in continuing to understand your body. You can only develop this understanding by mastering “micro actions.” It’s these micro actions that set a safe foundation for you to go deeper and explore further. Utilizing the support of yoga props and of the environment around you can dramatically shift your experience. Let’s find out what’s possible in Wheel Pose.

online classes for anatomy of arm balances

ALIGNMENT

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SHOULDER MOBILITY WITH BLOCKS AND A WALL

Paying attention to the finer details makes for a significant shift in your yoga practice. This can be applied in various ways, including when it comes to improving shoulder mobility. The first two preparation drills Matt shares in the video showcase accessible ways to find shoulder mobility for greater range in Wheel Pose. The important detail here is the lifting of your shoulders “up to your ears” and keeping them there once your arms are overhead. Whether you are utilizing the blocks or the wall, Matt emphasizes how important it is to do this action first in order to avoid shoulder impingement. 

In any conversation surrounding mobility, strength must be a part of it. In both drills, there is a pressing action that is added to keep your armpits lifted. As a result, you’ll activate the rhomboids and upper trapezius.

WATCH THE VIDEO

GET A WHEEL POSE UPGRADE:  PROP OPTIONS TO REFINE YOUR ALIGNMENT

LUNGE-POSITION PREPARATION

The lifting and activation from the first 2 drills nicely translates into the next Wheel Pose preparation. A vital component of the posture is the stretch of the pectoralis muscles, but hip extension is also essential. This lunge-position drill demonstrates how to combine both of these factors. The setup against the wall helps to pattern the activation of your quadriceps and glutes. The next steps involve spinal extension and the use of greater shoulder mobility. Narrowing the space between your shoulder blades (imagine that lift of the armpits) and sending the ribs forward really mimic the alignment of Wheel Pose. This bowing of the spine, as Matt refers to this technique, creates both a deep stretch in the front body and strength in the back body.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

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

ROLL UP YOUR YOGA MAT AND GRAB YOUR BLOCKS

Pressing straight up into Wheel Pose is not the next step; better advised is to break the press down into increments. The next two progressions involve a rolled up yoga mat and a couple of blocks placed diagonally up against a wall. Both of these options provide a great deal of support and less wrist extension, which may feel more comfortable when it is time to lift up into Wheel Pose. 

The increments are as follows:

  1. Lifting up into Bridge Pose
  2. Coming to the top of the head, with chest towards the wall
  3. Slowly extending the arms 
  4. Kicking through the heels (like the Lunge preparation)

Other imperative details in both drills include the following:

  1. Keeping the elbows wide (in a cactus shape)
  2. Activating the glutes
  3. Adjusting the feet
  4. Pushing down through inner heels

Equally important is to also exit the posture in increments. This maximizes safety for the spine.

300 hour teacher training online

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

UPGRADE YOUR TECHNIQUE

Upgrading your technique essentially means that you’re in fact upgrading the alignment of your body. Doing this helps you maximize your potential. The drills from today’s video demonstrate that there’s much more to it than just practicing Wheel Pose over and over again. The mindful and methodical approach Matt offers with the use of props gives you the support and time to understand exactly how your body responds at each step. If you haven’t yet mastered a specific action, you can explore and learn how to execute the action without feeling compromised in a deeper position of the posture. This will allow you to gain as much as possible from your overall yoga practice.

If you’re interested in diving more deeply into how to maximize technique and alignment in common yoga postures, then you’ll want to register for Matt’s next immersion, Alignment.  

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: Anatomy Of The Heart

online classes for anatomy of arm balances

FLOW & FLY

MAY 2023 Immersion

  • 12 Vinyasa-style practices
  • Increase your cardiovascular activity
  • Foundational and advanced arm balance techniques
  • Improve balance and proprioception
  • Accessible modifications and sequences
  • Appropriate variations for your level of practice
  • Improve wrist, core, and shoulder strength
  • ALL LEVELS APPROPRIATE

$148.00

MORE INFORMATION

Continue Learning

Turtle Pose To Titibhasana

Turtle Pose To Titibhasana

Turtle Pose To TitibhasanaKurmasanaTURTLE POSE TO TITIBHASANA Turtle Pose is not tiny by any means.  There is a great deal that goes into its preparation.  At the same time, it’s also an excellent preparatory posture for Titibhasana.  The journey between these two...

read more
Full Wheel

Full Wheel

Full WheelUrdhva DhanurasanaFULL WHEEL Teaching an intentional class becomes inevitable when following the Chromatic system that Matt created .  In Chromatic, we’re following a system that sets up the body for maximum execution within our fullest potential.  When it...

read more
Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more

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
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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