How to Do the Scorpion Pose
The Scorpion Pose is a favorite of Cirque de Soleil performers and contortionists of all stripes, which is to say it's a very advanced position not for the faint of heart—or weak of back.
Up next in How to Do Yoga Poses (57 videos)
Learn all the basic yoga poses -- downward facing dog, lotus, plank, and so on -- so you can get toned and find a little inner calmness, too.
You Will Need
- Comfortable clothing suitable for stretching and moving
- A calm place where you won't be distracted or disturbed
- A yoga mat or folded blanket
- A wall
Steps
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Warm up your neck and shoulders by doing other yoga poses first, like the Cat Cow, Cobra, and Bridge poses.
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Step 1
Get on hands & knees
Begin on your hands and knees.
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To help stabilize yourself, face a wall with your hands about six inches away from it.
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Step 2
Lower forearms
Lower your forearms onto the floor in front of you with your elbows shoulder-width apart.
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To bring your forearms to the correct distance apart, grasp each elbow with the opposite hand.
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Step 3
Place hands on floor
Place your hands palm down on the floor, fingers spread, and forearms parallel to each other.
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For added support, form a triangle with your forearms by sliding your hands toward each other until the tips of your thumbs are touching.
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Step 4
Straighten legs & raise hips
Straighten your legs, raising your hips up so your body forms an inverted V.
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Step 5
Walk feet toward body
Walk your feet toward your body, straightening your back and keeping your weight on your elbows.
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Step 6
Bend knees & lift feet
Slowly bend your knees and lift—try not to kick or jump—your feet straight up off the mat.
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Step 7
Align body
Lift your legs straight up so your entire body forms a straight line and there is perfect alignment between your hips, torso, neck, head and shoulders.
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Step 8
Press against mat
Press against the mat with your forearms to protect your neck, which should not be bearing your body weight.
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Step 9
Lower feet
Slowly bend your knees, bringing your feet down toward your head. Arch your back, keeping your body weight on your elbows.
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If you are using a wall, bend your knees until your feet touch the wall, then walk them slowly down as you lift your chest toward your feet arching into a back bend.
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Step 10
Hold pose
Hold the pose for as long as you're comfortable.
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Remember that you need strength and control to come out of the pose properly, so don't hold it too long.
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Step 11
Release pose
Release the pose by carefully coming down the same way you went up. Now you might want to re-consider running away to join the circus.
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There are 90 species of scorpions in the U.S., but only one of them is considered dangerous to humans.
