# Pigeon Pose: how to do it

- Main muscles: glutes, hip flexors
- Equipment: bodyweight
- Level: intermediate
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/pigeon_pose/17a7656263/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Start in a plank or downward dog with your hands under your shoulders.
2. Bring your right knee forward behind your right hand and rest your right shin on the floor.
3. Slide your left leg straight back with the top of your foot on the floor.
4. Lower your hips, keep them facing forward and walk your hands back to sit up tall.
5. Hold for 5–10 slow breaths, then switch sides.

## Cues

- Hips square to the front.
- Back leg long and straight.
- Sit tall, shoulders down.

## Common mistakes

- Hips tipping to one side: put a folded blanket under the front hip.
- Front heel tucked into the groin: move your front foot further forward.
- Slumping forward: press your fingertips down and lift your chest.

## The version in our demo

Right shin on the floor across the front of the body, left leg straight back, hips square, torso upright on the fingertips. Cleveland Clinic uses this upright version as the base and folding onto the elbows as the progression; upright keeps the back-leg hip flexor stretch visible from the side.

## Starting position

High plank or downward dog, hands under the shoulders, feet hip width apart.

## The movement

Bring the right knee forward to the floor just behind and outside the right wrist, with the right ankle towards the left wrist, so the right shin rests on the floor. Slide the left leg straight back until a stretch is felt, top of the left foot on the mat. Lower the hips towards the floor, keeping both hip points facing forward, and walk the hands back beside the hips so the torso rises. A folded blanket goes under the right buttock if it does not reach the floor. In the hold, the torso stays tall and the hips sink slightly with each out-breath; the legs and hands stay put.

## Breathing

Slow, deep breaths; let the hips settle on every out-breath.

## Tempo

Real sets: hold 5–10 breaths (about 30 s) per side.

## Form in numbers

- Front foot gently flexed or relaxed; outer shin and knee on the floor.
- Pelvis square: both hip points face forward within 10°, level side to side.
- Torso 60–80° from the floor, fingertips on the floor beside the hips, shoulders down, gaze forward.

## Sources

1. [Cleveland Clinic, "11 Hip-Opener Stretches To Help Flex Your Muscles" (pigeon pose)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/hip-opening-stretches)
2. [ACE, "5 Yoga Poses Every Athlete Should Be Doing"](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/pros/expert-articles/6379/5-yoga-poses-every-athlete-should-be-doing/)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/pigeon-pose