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Level 1 Difficulty. A Serenity Yoga Foundation Pose. This is a popular stretch that provides gentle yet effective relief for the lower back. It's great when you're just getting up in the morning, relieving any stiffness that sets in over night. It's also a good tension reliever any time of day or before bed. For people who carry their excess weight in their thighs and tummy, it can be tricky to wrap your hands around the outside of your legs, especially when both legs are up together. In this case, you can modify the pose by wrapping your hands around the inside of your knee, between the knee and the thigh, and still gain some benefit. In time, your flexibility will improve and allow you to wrap your hands around the outside of your knees for the extra stretching that brings.
| | | Start
Lying on your back
legs outstretched
neck lined up with your spine
chin facing forward. |  |
| Next | Bring both knees up toward your chest
wrap your hands around the outside of your knees & tug the knees closer to your chest. | | Hold for 6 - 20 Breaths or until you've reached your limit. | | Release Lower the leg and arms | |  | | | Breathing
Inhale
Exhale, bringing knees up to chest. | Hold breahting in and out 6 - 20 times
Inhale
Exhale, lowering legs and arms to floor | | | Modifications |  | | If you have trouble holding on to the outside of your knees, you can still do the Leg Fold by holding between your thighs and calves. The stretch won't be a strong, but it is still effective. |
| | Common Errors
Starting out with body & legs crooked.
Wrapping hands around the inside of knee, between knee and thigh, instead of the outside. Wrapping your hands around the outside increases the stretch in the thigh and lower back. (However, see the encouraging note below.) | Encouragement
This is a popular stretch that provides gentle yet effective relief for the lower back. It's great when you're just getting up in the morning, relieving any stiffness that sets in over night. It's also a good tension reliever any time of day or before bed. For people who carry their excess weight in their thighs and tummy, it can be tricky to wrap your hands around the outside of your legs, especially when both legs are up together. In this case, you can modify the pose by wrapping your hands around the inside of your knee, between the knee and the thigh, and still gain some benefit. In time, your flexibility will improve and allow you to wrap your hands around the outside of your knees for the extra stretching that brings. |
| | DO THIS POSTURE AT: | | Red Level | Do the steps and enjoy a good stretch | | Orange Level | Do each pose using the Orange Level procedure.
OR for a simpler Orange Level routine:
Pay close attention to breathing in and out at the right time when doing each posture. | | Yellow Level | Match movements with the breath
For each step of going into and out of the pose:
Start the movement and the breath at the same time
Pace them together
End the movement and breath at the same time |
| Benefits: Strengthens lower back; improves lower back flexibility
Time to Do: 1 - 3 minutes
Body Parts Used by This Posture: Lower Back, Thighs, Shoulders
Good After: Shoulder Stand, Plow, Bow, Back Push Up, Relaxation or after long periods of lying down.
Builds you up for: Spider
Energy Center Used: Root, Belly (Navel) |
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