Standing Separate-Leg Head-to-KneeDandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana
- Category
- Standing
- Level
- intermediate
- Hold
- 5–8 breaths
- Type
- Asana
- Breath
- Exhale to round down; breathe slowly and evenly while the forehead rests on the knee.
Standing Separate-Leg Head-to-Knee
Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana — "standing separate-leg head-to-knee posture"
From a short wide stance, hands in prayer overhead, you round forward to touch forehead to front knee. A Bikram staple that compresses the front body and stretches the back.
Step by step
- 1Step your feet about a leg's length apart and raise your arms overhead, palms together.
- 2Pivot to face your right foot, turning both feet and hips to the right.
- 3Tuck your chin to your chest and round down over the front leg.
- 4Aim your forehead toward your front knee, bending the front knee as much as needed to make contact.
- 5Bring your palms together in front of the front foot, or rest fingertips on the floor either side of it.
- 6Press through both feet and keep the back leg strong.
- 7Once the forehead rests on the knee, work the front leg gradually straighter without losing contact.
- 8Inhale to rise with arms overhead, pivot through center, and repeat on the left.
Benefits
- ✓ Stretches the hamstrings and back of the front leg
- ✓ Stretches the spine and back muscles in a rounded fold
- ✓ Builds focus and balance in a compact stance
- ✓ Strengthens the legs and core through the hold
Make it yours
- · Bend the front knee generously so the forehead can rest on it.
- · Rest your hands on blocks either side of the front foot.
- · Shorten the stance for steadier balance.
Take care
- Keep the chin-to-chest rounding gentle, or gaze forward instead, if you have neck issues.
- Rise slowly if you are prone to dizziness or have low blood pressure.
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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