Superman never struck me as a “Let’s Do Some Yoga” kind of guy.

But if he had been that kind of a guy, he’d probably be annoyed at the following “Hey, everybody, I’m flying” pose.

You need: two yoga blocks.

1. Place the blocks over your chest and your hip bone. The way it’s pictured here is an approximation; depending on the distribution of weight in your body, the blocks may need to be higher or lower.

2. Lie down with the blocks propping up your hip bone and chest and your hands on the floor.

3. Here’s another view to give you a sense of the placement of the blocks. They should feel comfortable; if not, don’t hesitate to adjust them even if it looks very different from the illustration.

4. Lift your legs off the floor; then lift your hands. If you fall or tip over, it means the blocks need to be adjusted higher or lower to support your balance. Do that.

5. The full pose: with your legs lifted, extend the arms out to the side and maybe even lift the chest off the block (if possible) so that only the block beneath your hip bone is supporting you. Lift your head, breathe five slow breaths while in balance, and come down.
Benefits: Balancing with your hip: something you probably seldom do. An increased awareness of the distribution of your weight. A good chest opener. Tones your legs, lower back and abdominals. Gives you a chance to revisit your childhood Superman/Supergirl fantasies.

Avoid if: Your lumbar spine or your hip hurts while in this pose (and it’s not related to finding a comfortable spot for the blocks) or if you can’t find the balance point and everything else hurts. It should be an opening, exhilarating pose, not so much a grin-and-bear-it pose. In fact, that’s a good rule of thumb to apply to every single yoga pose you do. You can tell your yoga teacher I said so.

Final thoughts: Ladies, if you are heftier in the top part of your body—or anybody, if there are no chairs in the world that do not feel very well padded to you, please adjust the blocks up or down accordingly to get to that balance point. The blocks need to support you painlessly regardless of whether you get all the way up into Superman pose or whether you otherwise soar like a (yogic) earthworm.

Also, you might not want to gorge at an all-you-can-eat place just before this pose. I’m just sayin’.

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Editor: Catherine Monkman

Photos: Author’s Own