Fire Log Forward Fold

Instructions

1. 1Sit on the floor and stack your right shin on top of the left so that the right ankle rests above the left knee and the right knee rests above the left ankle.
2. 2Flex both feet firmly to protect the knee joints from lateral torque.
3. 3Sit tall on an inhale, pressing your sitting bones evenly into the floor and lengthening through the crown.
4. 4On an exhale, hinge forward from the hips with a flat back, leading with the sternum rather than the forehead.
5. 5Walk your hands forward and lower your torso toward the floor, stopping where you feel an intense but sustainable stretch in the outer hips.
6. 6Hold for 5 to 8 breaths, then press your hands into the floor to return upright and switch the cross of the legs.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Knee pain or medial knee injury — the deep external rotation of the hip in this pose places significant torsional stress on the medial knee; skip if there is any pain.
• ⚠Tight hips with a lifted knee — if the top knee lifts high above the ankle, the hip flexors and IT band are under excessive strain; sit on a folded blanket and avoid folding forward.
• ⚠Piriformis syndrome or deep gluteal pain — the strong external rotation directly engages the piriformis and may compress the sciatic nerve; reduce the fold and consult a therapist.