(sah-LOM-bahsar-van-GAHS-anna)salamba=withsupport(sa=withalamba=support)sarva=allanga=limb.TherearevariationsofShoulderstandthatare“unsupported”=niralamba,pronouncednear-ah-LOM-bah)SupportedShoulderstand:Step-by-StepInstructionsStep1Foldtwoormorefirmblanketsintorectanglesmeasuringabout1footby2feet,andstackthemoneontopoftheother.Youcanplaceastickymatovertheblanketstohelptheupperarmsstayinplacewhileinthepose.Thenlieontheblanketswithyourshoulderssupported(andparalleltooneofthelongeredges)andyourheadonthefloor.Layyourarmsontheflooralongsideyourtorso,thenbendyourkneesandsetyourfeetagainstthefloorwiththeheelsclosetothesittingbones.Exhale,pressyourarmsagainstthefloor,andpushyourfeetawayfromthefloor,drawingyourthighsintothefronttorso.Seealso SupportedShoulderstandforBeginnersStep2Continuetoliftbycurlingthepelvisandthenthebacktorsoawayfromthefloor,sothatyourkneescometowardyourface.Stretchyourarmsoutparalleltotheedgeoftheblanketandturnthemoutwardsothefingerspressagainstthefloor(andthethumbspointbehindyou).Bendyourelbowsanddrawthemtowardeachother.Laythebacksofyourupperarmsontheblanketandspreadyourpalmsagainstthebackofyourtorso.Raiseyourpelvisovertheshoulders,sothatthetorsoisrelativelyperpendiculartothefloor.Walkyourhandsupyourback(towardthefloor)withoutlettingtheelbowsslidetoomuchwiderthanshoulderwidth.Seealso HowtoUseaShoulderstandtoIncreaseFocusStep3Inhaleandliftyourbentkneestowardtheceiling,bringingyourthighsinlinewithyourtorsoandhangingtheheelsdownbyyourbuttocks.Pressyourtailbonetowardyourpubisandturntheupperthighsinwardslightly.Finallyinhaleandstraightentheknees,pressingtheheelsuptowardtheceiling.Whenthebacksofthelegsarefullylengthened,liftthroughtheballsofthebigtoessotheinnerlegsareslightlylongerthantheouter.Seealso MoreInversionPosesStep4Softenthethroatandtongue.Firmtheshoulderbladesagainsttheback,andmovethesternumtowardthechin.Yourforeheadshouldberelativelyparalleltothefloor,yourchinperpendicular.Pressthebacksofyourupperarmsandthetopsofyourshouldersactivelyintotheblank