Category: Reclining
Level: beginner
Hold: 1–5 minutes, up to 10 with full prop support
Type: Asana
Breath: Soft belly breathing; let the exhale lengthen on its own.

Reclining Bound Angle

Supta Baddha Konasana — "reclining bound angle pose (supta = reclining, baddha = bound, kona = angle)"

Also known as: Reclining Butterfly

Lie back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall open. With a bolster under the spine this is one of the most restful shapes in yoga.

Step by step

1Sit with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall out to the sides.
2Lower yourself onto your forearms, then all the way onto your back.
3Slide your heels to a distance where the inner thighs can release without strain.
4Rest your arms out to your sides, palms up, or one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
5Let the weight of your legs open the hips — don't press the knees down.
6Stay for several minutes, then use your hands to draw your knees together before rolling to one side.

Benefits

✓ Opens the inner thighs and groins with almost no effort
✓ Lets the chest and belly broaden, making room for the breath
✓ Deeply restful — a staple of restorative practice
✓ Comfortable for many people who find sitting upright hard

Make it yours

· Lie back over a bolster placed lengthwise under the spine for a supported, chest-opening version.
· Place a block or folded blanket under each outer thigh so the legs can fully relax.
· Loop a strap around your sacrum and feet to support the legs in longer holds.
· Support your head and neck with a folded blanket.

Take care

In later pregnancy, lying flat on the back for long stretches can feel unpleasant — recline on a bolster at an incline instead of the flat floor.
If your groins or knees feel strained rather than stretched, support the thighs and ease off.

This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.

Practiced in

Props that help here

8-foot cotton strap — Extends your reach in hamstring and shoulder work — the honest substitute for grabbing a foot you can't yet reach. Get 8ft, not 6ft. find one
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

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