Reclining Hero

Supta Vīrāsana

Read what the gnome says

Reclining Hero! Sit between your heels, then lean back onto the forearms, and lower the spine to the floor if the knees allow. Tailbone long, knees together. Use a bolster if needed. Skip it if the knees hurt. Breathe, resting hero gnome.

Works on Quadriceps · Iliopsoas

How to do it

1. Sit between the heels or on a block, then lean back onto the forearms.
2. Lower the back to the floor, keeping the knees close and the thighs soft.
3. Rest the arms alongside, breathe into the front of the thighs and hold; use a bolster if the knees ache.

Common mistakes

• Don’t let the knees splay wide.
• Don’t push through knee pain: support the back with a bolster.
• Don’t arch the lower back sharply.

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

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

Similar poses Backbend

• Bow PoseIntermediate
• Bridge with Arms OverheadIntermediate
• Camel PoseIntermediate
• Frog Pose (backbend)Intermediate
• Half Bow PoseIntermediate
• Half Frog PoseIntermediate