TortoiseSave PDF
Kurmasana
KOOR-MAH-sah-nah
Stretches spine and shoulders
Activates abdominal organs
Improves energy, refreshes mind
How to perform Tortoise
- Sit with your legs stretched in front of you. Open your feet two to three feet wide.
- Bend your knees. Bend forward with an exhale and thread your shoulders under your knees. Stretch your hands to the sides.
- Lower your head. Straighten your legs to flatten your chest to the floor with an exhale.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Release your arms and rise with an inhale.
Alignment cues
- Press legs against upper arms
- Push heels down and forward
- Legs straight
- Elongate torso
- Squeeze thighs in
Modification: Keep your knees bent and point your hands forward.
Avoid this pose if you have back injury.
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More yoga poses to discover
Tortoise (Kurmasana in Sanskrit) is an intermediate yoga pose that belongs to the forward bends and hip openers and seated categories. This asana targets shoulders and spine, and also involves glutes & hip flexors, middle back / lats and upper back & lower traps muscles. Tortoise activates abdominal organs; stretches spine and shoulders and also improves energy, refreshes mind. 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.
