- Category
- Prone & kneeling
- Level
- beginner
- Hold
- 1–5 minutes
- Type
- Asana
- Breath
- Natural, unforced breathing — just watch it move against the floor.
Crocodile Pose
Makarasana — "crocodile posture"
Also known as: Makarasana
Lying face-down with the forehead resting on stacked forearms — the belly-down cousin of Savasana. Crocodile is a rest pose that doubles as quiet breath training, since you can feel each inhale press into the floor.
Step by step
- 1Lie on your belly with your legs stretched out behind you.
- 2Let your legs be a comfortable width apart and your heels fall in or out — whichever way they naturally settle.
- 3Fold your arms and stack your forearms under your forehead like a pillow.
- 4Rest your forehead on your forearms so your neck stays long and your nose is free to breathe.
- 5Let your whole body go heavy into the floor.
- 6Notice the breath pressing your belly gently into the mat on each inhale, and everything softening on each exhale.
Benefits
- ✓ Deeply restful — no muscular effort is required anywhere
- ✓ Makes the breath tangible: you feel the belly and low ribs expand against the floor
- ✓ Releases the lower back between belly-down backbends like Locust and Cobra
- ✓ A comfortable alternative for people who find Savasana exposed or restless
Make it yours
- · Place a thin folded blanket under your hips or belly for lower-back comfort.
- · Rest one cheek on your forearms and switch sides halfway if forehead-down feels stuffy.
- · Slide a rolled blanket under your ankles so the tops of the feet relax.
Take care
- Lying on the belly isn't suitable during pregnancy — rest on your side or in a supported Child's Pose instead.
- If lying flat bothers your lower back, place support under the hips or bend one knee out to the side.
This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.
Props that help here
- Yoga blanket — Folded under the hips in seated poses, under the knees in kneeling ones, under the shoulders for shoulderstand. A firm household blanket works too. find one
- Bolster — The single best restorative purchase. Under the knees, under the spine, or lengthwise under the back to open a gentle supported backbend. find one
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