Scale Pose Yoga (Tolasana) Steps, Benefits And Contraindication

What is Scale pose Yoga

  • Its Sanskrit name is Tolasana wherein Tola means ‘scale’ and asana indicates ‘yoga postures’.
  • After lifting the body off the floor, it swings back and forth just like a scale.
  • It is pronounced as ‘toh-LAHS-uh-nuh’.
  • Helps to strengthen arms, wrists and abs.
  • It targets wrists, arms, shoulders and core.
  • It is an Intermediate level pose. It is also practiced as part of power yoga as well as vinyasa yoga.
  • It is a balancing yoga.
Scale Pose Yoga (Tolasana) Steps, Benefits And Contraindication
Scale pose yoga

Different names

  • Scale pose yoga
  • Tolasana
  • Lifted lotus
  • Elevated Lotus Pose
  • Utthita Padmasana

How to do Scale pose-Step by step technique

  • First sit in Padmasana.
  • Place the palms on the surface and try to make it firm there.
  • Exhale, and lift your legs and buttock (Padmasana) away from the surface.
  • Maintain the pose for few seconds without movement of the body.
  • Increase the holding duration gradually.

Contraindications

The pose should be avoided in the following conditions.

  • Increase the holding duration gradually.
  • Shoulder and wrist injuries.
  • Ankle injury
  • Knee injury
  • Hips or thigh issue
  • Arms issue
  • Elbow problems
  • Hernia
  • Menstruation
  • Pregnancy

 Props

  • The pose can be performed with the help of props.
  • One can use blocks below one’s palm to raise the body up.

Preparatory poses

Follow up poses

  • Dandasana
  • Janu Sirsasana
  • Kukkutasana

Counter poses

Scale pose yoga benefits

  • It is a beneficial yoga pose for health and wellbeing.
  • The pose helps to strengthen arms, wrists and abs.
  • The practice of it develops strength. It strengthens the abdominal muscles and re-energies the abdominal organs thereby facilitate digestion.
  • It is one of the best yoga poses to give perfect balance and simultaneously encourages concentration.
  •  The muscles viz. biceps, triceps, and the brachioradialis are stimulated during the practice.
  • It stimulates the abdominal muscles in such a way as to improve digestion.

Modifications and Variations

  • To perform Tolasana and to extract its maximum benefits, practicing of Padmasana is must. But, there are many people, who experience difficulty in the pose.
  • One can use block to himself off the floor.
  •  If somebody is having problem in lotus pose, better to practice with easy pose (Sukhasana).
  • With easy pose, try to draw your knees towards your chest.
  • It can also be practiced with Ardha Padmasana.

 Precautions

  • Attention should be given on pelvic bone.
  • Alignment of the shoulders and wrists should be given utmost important.
  • Breathing should be slow and deep.
  • Warm up exercises are required before practicing tolasana.
  • Always works under your own limit.

Tips

  • Focus should be given on alignment, mechanism and movement of the pose.
  • Since Lotus Pose is the first step of practicing this yoga posture, better to get mastery first over padmasana.
  • The beginner should lift its sit bones off the floor keeping the legs on the ground.
  • Breathing should be deep and slow while practicing the pose.
  • Initially, it should start with few seconds, gradually, holding duration should be increased.
  • If you are an advanced practitioner, do this yoga pose along with uddiyana bandha and mula bandha.

Beginner’s tip

  • Initially, it is little bit difficult to practice this yoga pose for the first timer.
  • Instead of padmasana, they should do start it either with ardha padmasana or sukhasana.
  • First lift off your sit bones keeping your legs on the floor.
  • And gradually, move towards the perfection.

Breathing

  • While in the lotus pose, do normal breathing.
  • Exhale, lift off your body.
  • Do slow inhaling and exhaling while maintaining the pose along with focusing the coordination between your mind and body.
  • Inhale, bring your body down.

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