Stretch Pose—
Category
Reclining
Level
beginner
Hold
30 seconds to 1 minute with Breath of Fire
Type
Asana
Breath
Breath of Fire — rapid, rhythmic navel breathing; or steady, even breaths while learning.

Stretch Pose

— — "a Kundalini exercise with no traditional Sanskrit name — simply called Stretch Pose"

A core staple of Kundalini yoga: lying on your back, you lift your head and heels a few inches, point your fingers toward your toes, and hold — usually with Breath of Fire. Simple to describe, demanding to hold.

Step by step

  1. 1Lie on your back with your legs together and your arms at your sides.
  2. 2Press your lower back gently toward the floor.
  3. 3Lift your heels about six inches off the ground, feet pointed, legs straight and together.
  4. 4Lift your head and shoulders slightly and fix your gaze on your toes.
  5. 5Hover your arms alongside your body, palms facing your thighs, fingers reaching toward your feet.
  6. 6Hold the shape and begin Breath of Fire — rapid, even breaths powered by the navel.
  7. 7When you finish, lower your head and heels together and let your whole body relax.

Benefits

  • ✓ Strongly works the abdominal muscles and hip flexors
  • ✓ Builds the steadiness to keep breathing under effort
  • ✓ Trains focus — the pose asks you to hold still while everything shakes
  • ✓ Takes almost no space or setup

Make it yours

  • · Slide your hands, palms down, under your hips to support the lower back.
  • · Practice with one leg lifted at a time, the other foot on the floor.
  • · Rest the head on a thinly folded blanket and lift only the heels while you build strength.
  • · Use slow, even breathing instead of Breath of Fire while learning the shape.

Take care

  • If your lower back arches up or complains, bend your knees, tuck your hands under your hips, or lift one leg at a time.
  • During pregnancy and around menstruation, Kundalini teachers traditionally advise substituting a gentler practice for this pose and Breath of Fire.
  • Keep the chin slightly tucked and ease off if your neck tires before your abdominals do.

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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