Urdhva Dhanurasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana, also known as Upward Bow, Backbend, or Wheel, is a yoga pose. In yoga, bridge is the name of a different pose.

In this pose, the practitioner lies on his or her back and pushes up, balancing just on the hands and feet.

Practitioners may wish to approach this posture with care and be aware of their own body's limitations. In any yoga class, it is always appropriate to substitute a pose for another. In this case, bridge pose (when the weight is kept off of the cervical spine) may be a good replacement.

This pose is called a bridge in gymnastics. It can be achieved while performing a back limber by bending backward from a standing position. A bridge can also be achieved during a front limber by placing the hands on the floor and jumping so that the feet land on the floor in front of the hands.