Gaze ahead, chin levelPalms together, chest liftedSit bones downSit bones downOne Foot Behind the Head
Ekapādaśīrṣāsana
Read what the gnome says
One Foot Behind the Head! Warm up the hips and hamstrings well. Seated, draw one leg up, tuck the shin high on the shoulder, and then lift the chest, bringing the foot behind the head. Spine tall. Never force it. Breathe, then switch. Patient gnome.
Works on External hip rotators · Hamstrings
How to do it
- Sit tall and warm up the hips with seated figure-four and hug-the-knee stretches.
- Lift one leg and ease the calf behind the shoulder, helping with the same-side hand.
- Bring the palms together, lengthen the spine, hold briefly and release; switch sides.
Common mistakes
- Don’t attempt it with cold hips or hamstrings.
- Don’t force the foot: ease off at any knee twinge.
- Don’t round the back.
Benefits
- Releases tight hips and outer thighs.
- Eases stiffness from sitting and walking.
- A calm, grounding shape to breathe in.
Take care: Go easy or skip if you have knee or hip pain. Support the knees with a cushion or block and stop if you feel sharp pain.
Not medical advice. Ease off if anything feels sharp or wrong.
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Reclined Foot Behind the HeadAdvanced
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Splits (Monkey Pose)Advanced
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