Head to Knee CSave PDF

Janu Sirsasana C

jah-noo SHEER-SHAH-sah-nah C

Pose categories

Forward bends, Seated

Primary body parts engaged

Ankles, Hamstrings, Spine

Secondary

Calves, Knees, Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats

Stretches spine, hamstrings and ankles

Tones abdominal organs and uro-genital system

Calms mind, relieves anxiety

How to perform Head To Knee C

Sit with your legs stretched in front of you. Bend your right leg and place your heel close to your pelvis.
Turn your toes toward the floor and your heel toward the sky. Push your hands into the floor and scoot your pelvis forward until your heel is aligned over your toes.
Turn your torso toward your left leg. Hold your left foot with both hands. Bend forward with an exhale, lowering your head toward your shin. Grab hold of your left wrist at the sole of your foot.
Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
Rise with an inhale. Lift your knee and straighten your leg. Change sides.

Alignment cues

Heel over toes
Ankle fully bent
Do not push knee toward floor
Spine long
Leg straight
Torso facing extended leg

Modification: Instead of folding forward, use your hands to keep your pelvis lifted from the floor.

Avoid this pose if you have knee injury.

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Marichi’s III · Marichyasana III

Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe · Supta Padangusthasana

Tiger · Vyaghrasana

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Head To Knee C (Janu Sirsasana C in Sanskrit) is an advanced yoga pose that belongs to the forward bends and seated categories. This asana targets ankles, hamstrings and spine, and also involves calves, knees, lower back and middle back / lats muscles. Head to knee c tones abdominal organs and uro-genital system; stretches spine, hamstrings and ankles and also calms mind, relieves anxiety. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!

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