The Needle Scale is a stunning pose that combines flexibility, strength, and balance. It involves standing on one leg while lifting the other leg as high as possible behind you, and simultaneously performing a backbend. Whether you’re a dancer, yogi, or contortionist, this tutorial will guide you through 5 key exercises and tips to safely improve your technique and achieve a beautiful Needle Scale as a beginner.
5 key exercises you should practice as a beginner to get your Needle Scale Pose:
Wall Splits Stretches
Dancer Pose Stretches
Active Shoulder and Upper Body Lifts
Backbending in Low Lunge Pose
Flip the Grip
The Needle Scale is commonly performed in various disciplines that emphasize flexibility and balance. In ice skating, a needle scale would be the movement known as the Biellmann spin, where skaters lift their back leg overhead while spinning on one foot. In rhythmic gymnastics, a version of this pose is often seen in routines that incorporate extreme backbends and leg extensions. While rhythmic gymnasts tend to use dynamic movements to get this pose, contortionists use slow and controlled movements to get their needle scale. Ballet dancers also utilize a variation of it in their Arabesque and extension work, while cheerleaders and acrobatic performers often showcase it in stunt sequences and choreography. Furthermore, yogis version of the needle scale is known as the dancer pose / Natarajasana. And lastly, pole dancers perform their own versions of the needle scale pose in many ways with the pole bar, and working towards the needle scale helps them in figures like the Cocoon and Rainbow Marchenko. So as you see, the needle scale is everywhere! :)
5 Exercises to Get Your Needle Scale Pose as a Beginner
On one hand, achieving this pose requires hip, back, shoulder and hamstring flexibility. On the other hand, your ankles, shoulders, core muscles and hamstrings need also to be strong. Basically, you need to balance (literally!) both flexibility and strength. Common stretches that help preparing your body for the needle scale are:
Front splits and over splits (learn here how to safely practice them)
Shoulder opening stretches like the puppy pose
Backbends, emphasizing your upper back mobility
However, the following 5 exercises will help you level up your practice and build quicker further strength and flexibility to progress in your needle scale pose as a beginner:
Wall Splits Stretches
Place one leg up against the wall as high as possible. Have a chair in front to place your hands like you see in the picture below. Try to actively lift your chest up by opening your upper back and keep engaging the core. Hold for 30 seconds on each side to deepen flexibility.
Dancer Pose Stretches
The example below demonstrates the exercise using a chair, but you could also instead place a yoga block below the hand. Lift one leg and grab the foot or the ankle from the inside with the same side arm. When you exhale, try to extend the leg, bring the hips backwards and side bend in the upper body. This is an intense stretch for the standing leg and the shoulder. Then, try doing same but grabbing opposite sides. Hold in total around 30 seconds on each side.
We work on this exercise in our Mixed Level Contortion Class available in the YouTube channel. Also, if you have solid oversplits, you can also take on the challenge to straighten the top leg like in the example below. Despite being very flexible in 2019, I would have not been able to perform as a contortionist. My body was lacking of strength and stability, and I achieved most of the advance poses using my shoulder hypermobility - I don't even know how I never got it dislocated!
Active Shoulder and Upper Body Lifts
There is no needle scale without strength. Lay down in your stomach and keep feet hip width apart. Place a block between the hands and lift the upper body, keeping the feet on the mat. Repeat this movement 10 times, hold it as high as possible for 10 counts. Afterwards you can also do 10 repetitions of the superman pose. In our upcoming Mixed Level contortion class, we will have an extra exercise that you will not want to miss! So make sure you are subscribed to the Zohar.Yoga.Flex YouTube channel.
Backbending In Low Lunge Pose
In the low lunge pose, have the back foot on a wall and like 1.5-2 feet distance from the wall and the knee. When backbending, think on reaching tall to the wall. Lift the hip if needed. Once hands are on the wall, walk down towards the foot while you backbend and round the hip flexors. At the very end, try to push against the wall to get deeper in your shoulder and hip flexibility; and hold for 10 counts. Practice in both sides. I highly recommend to also record yourself to see that you are not bending backwards crooked.
Below you see how the stretch looks like. In the YouTube channel we have a full class focused on the Low Lunge pose with Backbends. Practice it to fully understand and master it!
Flip the Grip
There are many ways to enter in a needle scale. Some harder than others. In this blog post we are bringing you the Flip the Grip. It is a shoulder rotation used in yoga, pole, and overall flexibility training to achieve poses like the King Pigeon.
Start by reaching one arm overhead, bending the elbow so the hand moves behind your head. Rotate the shoulder externally while extending the forearm upward. Simultaneously, engage the scapula and open the chest to guide the hand into a flipped position, gripping a strap, sock or foot. Keep the core engaged to avoid overarching the lower back. Hold it for 15 counts on each side.
How I started with the Needle Scale as a Beginner
When I started stretching at age 27, I made the huge mistake of not working simultaneously on my strength. The stretching classes I attended were using only passive techniques that made my body even more flexible, and the coach would help (sometimes even force) us to get into the positions. The result? I had no strength, and consequently no balance, to enter and hold poses like the needle scale on my own. I could get very deep, but only if someone was supporting me and helping me get into the pose – like, taking my hand and placing it in the leg and holding my whole weight – as you see in the photo below. Note that this is a (really) bad idea – if you are a coach, please do not do this to your students! You can instead spot them, be there as support and give verbal cues. At that time, I was new to stretching, so I had no way to compare coaching styles and techniques. However, once I attended in person to a workshop with Catie Brier, it changed my view and made me realize that I needed to stop attending those classes. They were not helping me at all to become a contortionist and they were rather damaging my body.
In the years to follow, I focused building strength and balance for the needle scale, and even if I never got as deep as in the photo above, the pose felt better, and I also felt more confident and accomplished. I do have to confess that I have always worked in the needle "on and off". Like with the Arabesque, if you do not consistently practice and stretch for the pose, you will quickly lose the required flexibility and strength… but oh well, all the work you do now, will also be valid in the future - even if you take a break from the practice.
Tips & Hints for Success
Engage Your Core: Strong core activation helps with balance, stability and protecting your back.
Use Props Wisely: Blocks and straps can assist in deeper stretches without compromising your alignment.
Don’t Rush the Process: Progress in flexibility takes time; it is a real journey... be patient and stay consistent.
Breathe Deeply: Deep breathing helps to relax the nervous system and consequently the muscles.
Warm Up First: Never attempt deep backbends without a proper warm-up, specially as you age.
Watch Out for Hypermobility: If you are hypermobile in a body part, ensure you are not using only that flexibility to enter and hold the pose. Distribute the effort across the body evenly!
By practicing these 5 exercises, following our classes on YouTube and keeping these tips in mind, you’ll gradually develop the flexibility and strength needed to perform and hold a stunning Needle Scale Pose. Keep training consistently and enjoy the journey!
Ready to train with me? Check out my weekly contortion class every Saturday in the YouTube channel, or join one of our 30-Day Flexibility Challenges for a deeper dive into flexibility and contortion training. And if you look for a personalized training to speed up your progress, check how I work 1-1 and schedule your appointment by sending me an email to zoharpalacio@zoharyogaflex.com.
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