How to perform Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose Over Chair
Activate your legs and push your feet into the ground. Hold onto the chair legs: this will help pull your shoulders and chest open and deepen the pose.
What is Dvi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Over chair, hands to chair back)?
This is the next stage in the Dvi Pada sequence, with the head coming halfway to the floor. The benefit of the chair is best realised if the body curls over the chair, staying close in. This way the shoulder blades are brought into the body and lift up. With an even balance brought between head and feet, this pose can be sustained without effort, as you hold on to the back of the chair. When you feel comfortable with this variation and are ready to go into a deeper backbend, you can start to bring your hand lower and your head closer to the floor.
When to use Dvi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Over chair, hands to chair back)?
This deeper version of the pose may be incorporated into a full chair backbend sequence, or used prior to the more advanced backbends to come into the whole back rib cage and action of the shoulders. Even though the chair provides support, the legs and buttocks are active. This version can provide a release for stiffness in the neck. With the chair support, the full benefits of backbends can be experienced even if there is some weakness or illness preventing the full pose.
