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Thighs
Your quadriceps extend your
knees while your hamstrings
and gluteus maximus help
stabilize your thighs while in
a lengthened position. Your
adductors engage. In this
version of the pose, your hip
exors engage to stabilize
your hips.
Arms
Your posterior deltoids,
latissimus dorsi, and teres
major muscles engage to
extend your shoulders further
by pressing your upper arms into
the oor. Your brachialis, biceps
brachii, and brachioradialis
muscles
engage to ex your elbows.
Your wrist exors engage to press
into your lower back, holding
your hips up.
Neck and torso
Your cervical exors
engage, while your cervical
extensors stretch. Your
trapezius, serratus anterior,
and pectoralis major are
stretching. Your spinal
extensors are mostly
stretching but slightly
engaging to create a lifting
action. Imagine your feet
oating up toward the sky
to aid this elevation.
Hip
Gluteus maximus
Biceps femoris (long head)
Tensor fasciae latae
Semitendinosus
Vastus lateralis
Rectus femoris
Biceps femoris (short head)
Knee
Longus muscles
Splenius muscles
Sternocleidomastoid
Pectoralis major
Serratus anterior
Spinal extensors
Spine
Psoas major
Triceps brachii
Elbow
Biceps brachii
Deltoids
Flexor d. superficialis
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Brachioradialis
Wrist
KEY
Joints
Muscles
Engaging
Engaging while
stretching
Stretching
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