Top 3 most hated yoga poses and how you can learn to love them

Hate is such a strong word. But all students know the feeling of trepidation when an instructor announces at least one of these poses in class. The panic begins or the anger bubbles up from within. You may reach for a sip of water instead of holding the posture or go for the opportune bathroom break when this pose comes up. Whatever your reaction or emotion towards these poses, know that there is a reason for it or a way to do the pose without fully doing it.

3. Plank Pose (phalankasana) – Either the wrists may hurt or the arms feel like they are going to shake so much you will fall over. Wrists hurting in weight bearing postures oftentimes is not what you think it is. Many immediately think it’s carpal tunnel syndrome but this is occasionally misdiagnosed. Try to use your shoulders to pull up out of the wrists and take less of the weight off of them. There are props called GripItz that look like dumbbells that alleviate wrist strain if you do have carpal tunnel syndrome. If the arms are shaky, drop the knees onto the floor for a half plank pose and wait until the arms are stronger. There is no need to be a hero – at least in this pose.

2. Warrior 3 Pose (virabhadrasana)- This is an intermediate posture that requires great strength in the glutes and core and enough flexibility in the hamstrings to form that T-shape with the body. And then balance. If your instructor and your mind are telling you to come into this pose but your hamstrings or balance are telling you otherwise, opt for the more encouraging position in which the lifted leg is behind you but start with the foot on the floor. Once your balance and hamstrings cooperate, you can tilt the body as one piece to a position that is comfortable for you. Think “seesaw” with the head, torso and lifted leg moving and the standing leg as the fulcrum.

1. Headstand (sirsasana)- You want me to do what!?! Yes, stand on your head. You have probably been upside down one way or another in your life or yoga class without realizing it. Technically anytime that you bring your heart above your head, it is considered in yoga that you are inverted. So if you don’t like the pressure on the top of the head or fear has struck you paralyzed, know that you can always come into a wide-legged forward fold (prasarita padottanasana) and still get your inversion on. If you really want to invert but just haven’t yet, be patient! Work with your teacher and try walking your feet up the wall. The wall is your friend until you can lift up by using your newfound core and glute strength from the previous poses.