How to Do a Bow Yoga Pose

Bow Yoga Pose (Dhanurasana)

The bow yoga pose is a full body pose that stretches the front of your body, including ankles and feet, thighs and hips, and your whole torso. It also stimulates your abdominal organs, improving your digestion and strengthening your back muscles.

Sanskrit name: Dhanurasana

English name: Bow pose

Difficulty level: Advanced

How to do Bow Yoga Pose

- Lie face down with your feet together and your arms alongside the body.

- Bend your knees and with an inhale, reach back with your hands and grab the outer ankles or shin bones - do not grab your feet. If you can’t reach the ankles or shin bones, use a strap to help you.

- As you inhale again, extend your heels as you draw the ankles or strap toward your glutes.

- Press your thigh bones down and firm them toward the hips.

- Press your lower belly down toward the floor.

- As you exhale, press the tops of your feet down and draw the heels toward the head.

- Lift the chest up and toward the chin, and press your shoulder blades into your back.

- Firm the arms but do not lock the elbows.

- Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then release it by lowering the chest back to the floor.

- Release your feet and extend the legs.

- Relax in corpse pose (Savasana) for a few breaths before moving on to the next pose.

Benefits of Bow Yoga Pose

- Stretches the front of the body, including ankles and feet, thighs and hips, and the whole torso.

- Improves digestion.

- Strengthens back muscles.

- Stimulates the abdominal organs.

- Relieves stress.

Precautions & contraindications

The bow yoga pose is not suitable for people with:

- Back injuries.

- Hip injuries.

- Ankle or knee injuries.

- Heart problems.

- High blood pressure.

- Pregnancy.

- Menstruation.

If you have any of these conditions, please avoid doing the bow yoga pose or talk to your doctor before trying it.

Variations of Bow Yoga Pose

There are several variations of the bow yoga pose, including:

- Supta Dhanurasana: This is the supine version of the bow yoga pose. To do this variation, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Bend your elbows and grab the outer ankles or shin bones. As you inhale, extend your heels and draw the ankles or strap toward your glutes. Press your thigh bones down and firm them toward the hips. As you exhale, press the tops of your feet down and draw the heels toward the head. Lift the chest up and toward the chin, and press your shoulder blades into your back. Firm the arms but do not lock the elbows. Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then release it by lowering the chest back to the floor.

- Ardha Dhanurasana: This is the half bow yoga pose. To do this variation, lie on your back with your legs extended. Bend one knee and grab the outer ankle or shin bone with the opposite hand. As you inhale, extend the other leg and draw the bent knee toward your chest. Press the thigh bone down and firm it toward the hip. As you exhale, press the top of the foot down and draw the heel toward the head. Lift the chest up and toward the chin, and press your shoulder blades into your back. Firm the arm but do not lock the elbow. Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then release it by lowering the chest back to the floor. Repeat on the other side.