The Quick Way to Relieve Tired Legs (hint: ask any Yoga teacher)

Your feet and legs are tired at the end of a long day. You might think it’s long hours of standing or sitting, but the real culprit is gravity causing that heaving, pulling, dragging feeling.

But you can give your body a boost just by going upside down. Yogis (and children on monkey bars) have engaged the upside down for thousands of years.

Yogis today call them inversion poses.

It's as simple as getting all or part of your body into an upside down position. The benefits are proven and anyone at any age or skill level can do it.

Why Upside Down?

The body is designed with a complex and fairly efficient circulation system. This system pushes good stuff like oxygen and nutrients to all of your big and little parts. It also grabs bad stuff and moves it out. Your body does this with blood and lymph flows with the help of your heart.

Now, your heart is a good pump, but just think - 50% of the time, your heart is working against gravity, pushing blood and lymph from the ground up.

This is where inversion poses help. By flipping your body, you give your system a break from gravity, since most of your body is located below your heart.

When you're upside down, your legs and feet particularly benefit, as any stagnant bad stuff drains out and good stuff can easily flow in.

Inversion Poses for Every Body

BEGINNER OR SIMPLE INVERSION

Leg in the air / Leg up a wall

This one is easy and still has almost all of the same benefits as the fanciers inversions. Lie on the floor and stick your legs in the air. Alternatively, lie in front of a wall and use the wall to support your legs. Remain in this position for at least 3 minutes.

INTERMEDIATE INVERSION

Shoulder Stand

Do this pose if you are already familiar with yoga.

ADVANCED

Headstand and Handstand

Maximum upside down for more advanced yogis.

Inversions are for everyone and can (and should!) be practiced regularly. So you see, the upside down is a beautiful place for relaxation and increased circulation.

We’ll see you on the flip side!