Yoga · Inversions · Strength

Dolphin and forearm-balance prep at the wall

Forearm plank, dolphin and one-legged dolphin at the wall build the shoulder strength and set-up for forearm balance, with the head off the floor.

WallArm circles, thread the needle, puppyS1S2S3S4S5T
Start / 5
Time
20 min
Players
1–12
Age
U16+
Area
Mat per person, short end to a wall
Equipment
matsblocksstrapsa clear wall

Setup

  1. Mats with the short end against a clear wall, an arm's length apart; a block and a strap per student.
  2. Make a strap loop the width of the shoulders to go around the upper arms, just above the elbows.
  3. Inversions aren't suitable for everyone: anyone with high blood pressure, glaucoma or other eye conditions, neck or shoulder problems, a heart condition, or who is pregnant should check with a health professional first and can do the non-inverted options.
  4. Students arrive warm. This drill is preparation: full forearm balance (Pincha Mayurasana) is learned in person with a qualified teacher.

How it runs

  1. Shoulder warm-up, 3 minutes: arm circles, thread the needle in tabletop, then puppy pose (Uttana Shishosana) with the hands walking forward and chest softening down for five breaths.
  2. Forearm plank, three holds of 20 seconds: strap around the upper arms, forearms parallel, palms flat or a block held between the hands. Press the forearms down so the upper back stays broad.
  3. Dolphin (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana), three rounds of five breaths: from forearms and knees, tuck the toes and lift the hips, walking the feet in only as far as the back stays long. Bend the knees as much as needed. The head hangs freely and never touches the floor.
  4. Dolphin to forearm plank: inhale forward to plank, exhale back to dolphin, six slow reps. Knees down for the plank is a full option.
  5. At the wall: set up dolphin with the fingertips or a block touching the wall. Lift one leg on an inhale and hold for three breaths, then the other. Only the teacher's say-so moves anyone on to L-shape work at the wall.
  6. Rest in child's pose (Balasana) with the arms alongside the body for ten breaths.

Coaching points

  • Elbows under the shoulders and kept in by the strap; the forearms press down evenly.
  • Shoulders lift away from the ears and the upper back stays broad.
  • Hips over the shoulders comes from the shoulders opening, not from straightening the legs.
  • Breathe smoothly through the nose; any strain in the neck means come down.

Common mistakes

  • Elbows sliding wider than the shoulders.
  • Sinking between the shoulder blades in dolphin.
  • Letting the head touch the floor for support.
  • Kicking up to the wall before the dolphin hold is steady.

Say it: “Forearms down, shoulders up, head free.”

Make it harder

  • One-legged dolphin with the lifted leg reaching higher and the hips staying level, five breaths each side.
  • With the teacher watching, an L-shape at the wall: forearms down a leg's length from the wall, feet walked up to hip height, head off the floor, three breaths, down one foot at a time.

Make it easier

  • Puppy pose at the wall instead of dolphin, with the forearms on the wall.
  • Dolphin with the knees well bent, or forearm plank with the knees down.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.