Coming up to standing from Urdhva Dhanurasana (Drop Backs ) can be a tricky technique to learn but also a lovely movement when it is integrated within the Ashtanga Yoga system.

It takes some bravery and trust

There are many different techniques and cues to help, and in this article I will share with you what I feel works for most practitioners and some tips for different body types.

First of all, you must have a very stable, strong and comfortable Urdhva Dhanurasana before attempting this, and I would actually recommend learning dropping down from standing into Bridge pose fiirst, as this is usually more available for most practitioners.

Here is an article I wrote about this:

A strong and stable bridge is needed before attempting drop backs

To come up from Bridge to standing initially will not be a soft gracious movement. It can be after some tome but in the beginning we need to just get up. Over time we can refine the movement so it is just a matter of shifting your weight into your legs ( which is essence it is ), but this takes time.

In the beginning we need to be more explosive

Initially I ask students to get used to rocking backwards and forwards. Inhaling you will shift your weight into your legs, where you push your body fowards towards the front of your mat. This is the movement we will need to come up.

Shifting the weight forward into your legs on the inhale

And on the exhale you will rock backwards so your weight moves from your legs back into your hands / arms.

Exhaling shifting your weight back into your arms

This movement can take some time to embody, so just play here for a while until this is integrated and you don’t have to think about it so much. Inhaling forward into your legs, and exhaling back into your arms.

What is mostly tricky with learning drop backs is there is a lot going on, so learn each movment at a time, so when you combine them they are there.

It’s a little like learning to drive a car. After some time, changing gear will happen without even thinking about it.

Once this movement pattern is learnt we can start to play with getting some air time. This can be the scary part. It’s where we shift our weight forward into our legs but with more gusto and strength so on the inhale our hips shift forward and our hands come off the floor.

Initially this can be maybe a few centimeters. Just so we feel the weight shift and our legs start to work more and our hands feel lighter.

Again, play here for a while and get used to this feeling so that coming off the floor just a little doesn’t feel so scary and you gain confidence that you can land back into bridge.

What makes drop backs scary is the fear that we are going to land in a big mess on the floor and hurt something. This is a natural fear that will pass over time and repitition of the movement. You are upside down and the body’s natual reaction to potential pain is to hold you back. This is why we need to do these movements in stages to build confidence so we feel calm.

Now you have built some confidence, technique and can get your weight into you legs it’s time to go for it. And this is really what is needed to come up. At some point you have to give it your all really try to come up.

It can help to turn your feel out a little to come up and maybe even lift your heels slightly to get up. It really depends on the mobility of your ankles.

So rocking back and forward, 1… 2…. and on the 3rd rock you really go for it and give a super strong push from your arms to send your weight forward into your legs.

Try to think of your hips going forward not just pushing up

The goal is to get your hips forward of your feet. This is your centre of gravity and where you will find stabiliy.

Now I know you’re thinking. ‘What if I don’t make it?’

Well, you might not. So the key is to train this so the worst case you land back in bridge. But if you do get half way up, there will be a moment where you pull yourself forward from your core. Think of coming up from halfway as a core exercise.

Half way up where you use your core to pull you up and forward.

Your weight being forward into your legs. Your big toe grounding as you go forward, you are going to use your core to pull yourself up. Belly forward and pushing your check forward and up with your head coming up at the very last moment.

It’s very important to bring your head up last.

One of the main reasons people fail to come up, is either they aren’t comitting enough to trying, thier hips aren’t far enough forward, or they bring thier head up too fast.

It’s natural to want to see where you are going but you have to resist that feeling as all it does is straighten your back out and your drop back down.

Head last. Head last Head last.

Now your weight is forward you can stand up by literally straightening your legs and your head coming up to look forward at the last moment.

"voilà"

If you would like a full video breakdown of this movement pattern and some additional exercies and ways to work with props to help check out The Asana Guide for more details in the video link here.

How to Stand Up from Urdhva Dhanurasana