Asana: Pose
Tolasana at a Glance
Tolasana is an advanced arm balancing yoga pose, which is also known as the scale pose, Tulasana, or the Balance pose, and is a variation of the Lotus pose. This is also known as the Elevated lotus pose, where your body is lifted above the ground, keeping your arms grounded, but being the Lotus pose.
Benefits:
- This helps to strengthen your arms, wrists, chest, hips and legs.
- It helps to strengthen and enhance the core muscles.
- It helps to stretch your arms, shoulder, and wrist muscles.
- It improves the flexibility of the hip flexors.
Who can do it?
Advanced yoga practitioners and the intermediate level can do this pose. This pose is based on balance and strength, people with good balance and core strength can do this pose. Weight lifters can do this pose. Sports persons can do this to increase their core strength and flexibility.
Who should not do it?
Beginners should not do this pose. People with any arms, shoulders, abdomen, or wrist injuries should avoid this pose. People with any surgery should avoid this pose. Pregnant women should avoid this pose. People with any pain or discomfort in their abdomen should avoid this pose.
How to Do Tolasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
This being an advanced pose, you should be preparing yourself by doing the basic arm balancing and improving the abdominal strength.
- Warm-up is very important and do it on an empty stomach. You can do the Lolasana pose as the base pose.
- You can start with the Sukhasana pose or the Dandasana pose, here we would start from the Dandasana pose.
- Come to the staff pose, take some deep breaths, and, keep your legs straight in front of you and active.
- Inhale and with the help of your hands bend your right knee (right foot) and place it on the left hip crease (left thigh).
- Same way brings your left leg and place it on the right leg, upper right thigh near the hip joint.
- Keep your hands on the floor on the side of your hips and ground the palms.
- Inhale and lengthen your spine and broaden your shoulders.
- Exhale and press your palms against the ground tuck your navel to the spine and draw up and slowly lift your buttocks and legs off the ground.
- Look forward at a steady point and hold for a few breaths.
- Slowly release and bring your buttocks to the floor inhale deeply change your legs and repeat for the same length on the other side.
What are the Benefits of Tolasana?
- This helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles, arms, and wrists.
- This pose enhances the flexibility of your arms, wrists, and hips.
- This helps to improve your balance, focus, and coordination.
- Practicing this pose with the two Bandhas (Mula bandha and Uddiyana bandha) helps to build confidence and determination.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Tolasana
- The pressure on the abdominal muscles improves the functioning of the digestive system.
- This enhances the health of the Pelvic floor muscles.
- Scale pose helps to stimulate the Muladhara, Svadhishthana, and Manipura chakra which helps to keep your body and mind healthy.
- This is a great pose, helps to reduce your stress and anxiety improves your confidence, and improves the connection of the mind.
- This also helps to enhance your lung capacity.
Safety and Precautions
- People with any injury or surgery should avoid or consult the doctor.
- Avoid practicing during your menstrual cycle.
- Avoid if you have high BP or breathing issues.
- Use props and modify them for safety and do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
Common Mistakes
- Avoid doing it after meals.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders.
- Any pain or discomfort just release the pose.
Tips for Tolasana
- Warm up before the asana.
- Engage your core and thigh muscles.
- Use blocks under your palms.
- Practice consistently and with patience.
Physical Alignment Principles for Tolasana
- Keep your hands on the ground, more than shoulder width, and keep it grounded.
- Fingers pressed and wide and palms firmly on the ground.
- The entire body is above the floor, leaving your hands.
- Legs in the lotus pose, right ankle, to the left hip crease, and left to the right hip crease.
- Core active and tucked to spine and drawn up.
- Spine long and straight, and lift your chest.
- Shoulder blades back and down and neck relaxed.
- Neck in line with the spine, gaze in front a bit ahead.
- The crown of your head reaches up.
Tolasana and Breath
Take some deep breaths while in the Dandasana pose. Inhale deeply and engage your core, grip your palms to the floor, now exhale deeply, keeping your legs in the Lotus pose, tuck your navel to the spine lift your body keep your breath continuous, and lift your entire body, by engaging your legs, core, and arms.
Hold the pose, keep breathing gently, and engage your Mulabhandha. 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. Inhale and release the pose and do it on the other side coordinating your breath.
Tolasana and Variations
- Use blocks under your palms for support.
- Do the Scale pose in Sukhasana.
- Lolasana pose.
- Kukkutasana pose.
The Bottom Line
The scale yoga pose is a challenging arm balance, which may not be possible initially but you can start with the base pose, Lolasana, and can get it with regular practice. Practicing Tolasana 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 you have any health concerns consult your health care professional. Make sure to do the preparatory poses, and use the props, and try variations initially. Keep your breath with the movement of the pose, which gives you more stability and balance helps to improve your self-confidence and willpower, and calms your body and mind.
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