SeatedBackbend
Pigeon Pose
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
A deep hip opener where one leg is bent at the front and the other extends straight behind. It is one of the most effective poses for releasing tension held in the outer hip.
- ·Deep hip opening
- ·Stretches hip flexors
- ·Relieves sciatic pain
Instructions
- 1From a downward-facing dog, bring the right knee forward and place it behind the right wrist, with the right shin angled across the mat.
- 2Slide the left leg straight back, resting the top of the left foot on the mat, and square the hips toward the front of the mat.
- 3Place both hands on the mat beside the hips and sit tall, pressing the top of the back foot down to activate the leg.
- 4If the right hip does not reach the floor, slide a folded blanket or block under it to support the pelvis evenly.
- 5For a deeper stretch, walk the hands forward and lower the torso over the front shin, extending the arms or resting the forehead on stacked hands.
- 6Breathe into the outer right hip and gluteal area, releasing any gripping with each exhale.
- 7Hold for 1 to 3 minutes, then press back to downward dog and repeat on the left side.
Contraindications & precautions
- ⚠Knee injury or ligament damage — never force the shin into the crossed position; use a figure-four stretch on the back instead as a safe alternative.
- ⚠Hip replacement surgery — deep external rotation of the hip joint is contraindicated and may risk dislocation of the prosthesis.
- ⚠Acute sacroiliac joint pain — the asymmetrical hip loading can aggravate the SI joint; support the raised hip with a prop and limit the depth of the pose.
