Vrschikasana

Scorpion Pose

vrschika = scorpion

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 21 September 2026

A forearm balance with the back arched and the feet coming towards the head.

Family: Inversions
Level: advanced
Lineage: modern
Works on: shoulders · spine · balance

The yogic view

A twentieth-century posture, popularised through Light on Yoga; not named in the classical texts.

How to practise

Establish a steady forearm balance with the forearms parallel, near a wall.
Keep the shoulders stacked over the elbows and the gaze forward, not down.
Bend the knees and let the feet travel towards the wall.
Lift the chest and lengthen the upper back rather than collapsing into the lower back.
Hold only a few steady breaths.
Come down one leg at a time and rest in balasana.

For seated or floor-based work, use a clean, stable surface. Our natural cork yoga mat offers a grounded 5 mm surface for regular practice.

What research shows

It combines a forearm balance with a deep backbend, so shoulder flexion and thoracic extension both have to be genuinely available before the legs move. The neck and lumbar spine take the consequences of anything missing higher up. The sensible route is months of stable forearm balance against a wall plus independent backbend work, rather than attempting the two together early.

Questions about Vrschikasana

+ How long should you hold Vrschikasana?

Build inverted time slowly. Thirty seconds to one minute is a sensible early target for active inversions; supported, legs-raised shapes can be held comfortably for two to five minutes. Come down at the first sign of pressure in the head, eyes or neck. Let the breath decide: if it becomes short, held or noisy, you have stayed too long or gone too deep.

+ Is Vrschikasana suitable for beginners?

No — Vrschikasana is an advanced inversions posture. It asks for strength, range and control that take a long time to build, and it is much better learned with in-person guidance than from a page. Work through the preparatory postures listed below first, and treat the full shape as a long-term project rather than a goal for this month.

+ What are the modifications for Vrschikasana?

Work with the shape rather than around it: reduce the range, shorten the lever by bending the nearest joint, and raise the floor toward you. Three adjustments apply to almost any posture: raise the hips on a folded blanket or cushion in seated work, bend the knees in anything that loads the back of the legs, and use a wall, chair or block to take weight and remove the fear of falling. A supported version practised often produces more change than a deep version practised rarely.

+ Who should avoid or modify Vrschikasana?

For Vrschikasana specifically: neck injury; shoulder injury; spinal injury. More generally, modify or skip it if you have an acute injury or recent surgery in the area it loads, if you are pregnant and have not been given individual guidance, or if the shape produces sharp, pinching, radiating or electric sensation. Numbness, tingling or pain travelling down a limb is a nerve signal to stop and be assessed, not to breathe through. This page is educational and is not medical advice.

+ What should you practise before and after Vrschikasana?

Prepare with Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand), Ushtrasana (Camel Pose). Release afterwards with Balasana (Child's Pose), Shavasana (Corpse Pose). Both lists are links on this page, and either can be shortened when time is limited — but do not skip preparation for a posture that loads a joint at end range.

+ What does Vrschikasana mean in Sanskrit?

Vrschikasana translates as scorpion pose — vrschika = scorpion The name follows Sanskrit convention, but the posture itself is modern and is not described in the classical texts.

Prepare with

Release with

Cautions

neck injury
shoulder injury
spinal injury

More inversions

Keep reading

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.