How to do Setu Bandhasana
- Lie on your back with the knees bent and the feet flat, hip-width apart, close to the buttocks.
- Rest the arms by your sides, palms down.
- Press into the feet and, on an inhale, lift the hips.
- Interlace the fingers under the back if comfortable, and roll the shoulders under.
- Hold for 5 breaths.
Coming out of the pose
- Release the hands and lower the spine slowly to the mat, one part at a time.
Alignment cues
- Knees stay parallel, over the ankles.
- Press evenly through the feet, especially the big toes.
- Lift the chest toward the chin, not the chin into the chest.
- Keep the head still; do not turn it.
Beginner version and props
- Place a block under the sacrum and rest there.
- Keep the arms by your sides.
Benefits
- Strengthens the buttocks, legs and back.
- Opens the chest and the front of the hips.
Who should take care
- With a neck injury, use a block under the sacrum and do not turn the head.
- With knee problems, keep the feet a little further from the hips.
If you have an injury, are pregnant or have a medical condition, check with your doctor and practise with a qualified teacher.
Common mistakes
- Knees splaying outward.
- Turning the head while the hips are lifted.
- Pushing the hips too high and pinching the lower back.
Learn this pose, its adjustments and how to teach it on our 200 hour yoga teacher training in Uttarkashi.