- Category
- Standing
- Level
- beginner
- Hold
- 5–8 breaths
- Type
- Asana
- Breath
- Slow, full breaths; keep the draw steady on both inhale and exhale.
Archer Pose
Akarna Dhanurasana (standing variation) — "toward-the-ear bow posture"
A standing lunge where one arm reaches forward and the other draws back like pulling a bowstring. Steady legs, open chest, unwavering gaze.
Step by step
- 1Step your right foot forward and your left foot back, back foot angled out about 45 degrees.
- 2Bend your right knee over the ankle, keeping the back leg straight and strong.
- 3Extend your right arm forward at shoulder height and make a fist, thumb pointing up.
- 4Draw your left hand back beside your left shoulder, as if pulling a bowstring taut.
- 5Keep the pulling elbow lifted at shoulder height and squeeze the shoulder blades together.
- 6Fix your gaze on your front thumb and stand tall through the crown.
- 7Breathe steadily, then release and repeat on the other side.
Benefits
- ✓ Strengthens the legs, shoulders, and upper back
- ✓ Opens the chest and front of the shoulders
- ✓ Builds steady focus with a fixed gaze
- ✓ Improves stamina in a held, active stance
Make it yours
- · Shorten the stance for easier balance.
- · Practice with the back heel against a wall for grounding.
- · Keep both hands lighter — open palms instead of fists — to soften the effort.
Take care
- Lower the arms or soften the draw if you have a shoulder injury.
- Shorten the stance and reduce the knee bend if the front knee complains.
This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.
Practiced in
Props that help here
- Manduka PRO — The buy-it-once option — dense, stable, famously durable. Heavy, so it lives at home, which is where practice happens anyway. find one
- Liforme Original — The grippiest mat we've used, with alignment markers that genuinely help beginners place hands and feet. Priciest of the three. find one
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