MermaidSave PDF
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
ek-uh PAH-dah RAH-jah-kahp-oh-TAH-sah-nah
Opens chest, stretches spine and hips
Stretches abdominal organs
Brings confidence and playfulness
How to perform Mermaid
- Begin in Downward Facing Dog. With an exhale place your left knee on the floor in between your hands, left ankle behind right wrist.
- Lower your right knee to the floor, scooting your leg back so that both hips are near the floor. Untuck the back toes. Check that your back leg is extended straight behind you. Rise onto your fingertips and lengthen your spine.
- Bend your right leg and hook your elbow around the ankle with an exhale.
- Reach your left arm toward the sky with an inhale. Bend your elbow and bringing your forearm behind your head, hook your hands together.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Release your hands and back leg. Place both hands on the floor. Tuck your back toes under and carefully push yourself back to Downward Facing Dog with an exhale. Change sides.
Alignment cues
- Square hips toward front of mat
- Scissor legs toward one another
- Breathe deeply
- Flex front foot
- Lift and extend spine
Modification: Keep the front hand on the floor.
Avoid this pose if you have knee or sacroiliac injury.
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More yoga poses to discover
Mermaid (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in Sanskrit) is an intermediate yoga pose that belongs to the back bends and hip openers categories. This asana targets glutes & hip flexors, quadriceps and spine, and also involves abs, chest, knees and shoulders muscles. Mermaid stretches abdominal organs; opens chest, stretches spine and hips and also brings confidence and playfulness. 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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Discover our best-selling Yoga Cards – professional study, class sequencing and practice guide for beginners and beyond.
Studying to be a yoga teacher? Learn the essential yoga poses the easy way with Yoga Stacks app!
New to yoga? Our Yoga for Beginners pack covers everything you need to know to get started with your practice.
Personal trainer? Try Train - our beautifully simple training platform you and your clients will love.
