Knees-Chest-Chin Pose

Aṣṭāṅga Namaskāra

Read what the gnome says

Knees, Chest, Chin! From plank, lower the knees, then the chest and chin to the floor, hips lifted. Elbows hug the ribs. Keep the neck long and the breath steady. Don't dump the weight into the neck. A gentle bow to the earth. Breathe, humble gnome.

Works on Spinal erectors · Triceps · Deltoids

How to do it

1. Come onto hands and knees, then walk the hands forward a little.
2. Lower the chest and chin toward the floor, keeping the hips high over the knees.
3. Keep the elbows hugged in, breathe slowly and hold; lift out with control.

Common mistakes

• Don’t drop the hips toward the heels.
• Don’t let the elbows splay out wide.
• Don’t put weight on the neck: guide the chin down gently.

Benefits

• Opens the chest, front of the hips and shoulders.
• Strengthens the muscles along the back.
• Counters long hours of sitting and rounding forward.

Take care: Go easy or skip if you have lower-back, neck or wrist pain, or are pregnant. Stay in the comfortable range and never force depth.

Suggest a correction

In ready-made sequences

Sun Salutation 5 min

Not medical advice. Ease off if anything feels sharp or wrong.

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