How to Do the Yoga Pigeon Pose
Begin in downward dog., Raise your right leg so it extends away from you., Slide your left leg back behind you., Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor., Place your hands on either side of your leg., Exhale and lay your torso down over...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Begin in downward dog.
Your knees should be right below your hips on the mat.
Your hands should be slightly ahead of your shoulders.Once you get the basic pose down, it is usually best to learn how to flow into pigeon pose from downward-facing dog. -
Step 2: Raise your right leg so it extends away from you.
Slide it forward to the back of your right wrist.
Angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee, behind your left hand.
The outside of your right shin should now rest on the floor.
The further forward your right heel is, the deeper and more intense the pose will be.
Keep your right foot flexed to help protect your knee.
If you are a yoga beginner, bend your front knee as much as you need so it feels comfortable and not tight or tense.
It’s important to protect your knee in this pose to prevent irritating the joint.
As you continue to practice this pose, you will be able to bring your shin more parallel with the front edge of the mat., Straighten it and let the front of your thigh sit on the floor.
Look behind you to make sure your left leg is extended straight behind you, not out to one side.
Make sure your back thigh is rotating inward.
Press all five toes of your back foot onto the mat. , Position your right heel so it is in front of your left hip.
Your body will want to avoid putting weight on your right hip, especially if it is tight.
Try to maintain equal weight in both hips. , Inhale and rise up on your fingertips.
Try to elongate your spine.
Lengthen your lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward. , Don’t worry about putting your head on the mat.
Only lower to a point that is comfortable for your hips but also gives them a deep stretch.
Focus on placing equal weight on both hips and keeping your spine long.
If your hips are flexible or open, stretch your arms forward and stack your hands on top of each other.
Rest your head on your hands, laying your torso over your right thigh. , Inhale and exhale deeply through your nose.
Continue to maintain equal weight in both hips and extend your spine forward and down. , Inhale as you carefully slide your left knee forward.
Exhale and lift your right leg up and back into Downward Facing Dog Pose.
Keep your right leg lifted to release any tension in your right hip for 1-2 breaths. , Drop down on your knees to all-fours.
Repeat the same pose with your left leg.
Make sure you position your left leg correctly and breath deeply with each movement. , Pigeon Pose can cause emotional resistance for some people, especially if the hip area is tight.
If your hips feel too tight or uncomfortable, take a deep breath and come out of the pose.
Practice another sun salutation and then try the pose again.
Go slowly and only as far as feels comfortable for your hips and your knee.
Don’t force your hips into the pose.
Be patient and go slow.
Over time, your flexibility will increase and your hips will respond to this opening. , More seasoned yoga practitioners, or those with flexible hips, can deepen the pose into a backbend.
Inhale and rise up in Pigeon Pose on your right side.
Bend your back (left) knee and reach your left arm back.
Take hold of the outside of your left ankle.
Flex your left foot and try to maintain equal weight in both hips.
If this feels good, reach your right arm back and hold onto the inside of your left ankle.
Square your shoulders to the front of the room.
Hold this variation for 4-5 breaths.
Continue to roll your shoulders back and lift your chest forward and up.
Slowly release the variation and place your hands on either side of your right leg.
Repeat this variation on the opposite side. , Lift your heels individually off the ground
-- you should be able to freely move one leg. , Lift your leg and straighten it back.
The goal is for your leg to continue the diagonal line upward from your back, but don't worry if you're not flexible enough for this yet.
Hold you leg up for one deep, controlled breath. , Slowly bring your knee up towards the front of your body, bending it roughly 90-degrees as it passes your chest. , This is the crucial move into pigeon.
As your leg comes forward, work on fluidly bending it and placing it down in front of you.
You should be resting on the outside of your right leg and the top of your left leg, which hasn't moved.
Focus on exhaling as you set this leg down, as it will make it easier to stretch into the pose.
The further forward you can get your knee, keeping it bent 90-degrees or more, the deeper the stretch. , Your hands are probably out in front of you from downward dog.
Using your fingertips to grip the mat, place them back near your hips, 6-8" behind shoulder level or so. , Slowly pick up your back foot, which should be resting on your toes.
Uncurl them so that you can rest on the top of your foot. , Once you've gotten yourself into pigeon pose from downward dog, the rest of the form is exactly the same.
Focus on elongating your spine, lifting your chin and chest so that you feel tall and relaxed.
With each exhale, try and bring your butt closer to the floor, deepening the stretch. , When ready, fold forward so that your chest rests on your knee.
Your forehead should be almost on the floor, or touching.
Extend your arms completely out in front of them with your palms on the floor.
Again, use each exhalation to pull deeper into pigeon pose. , Inhale and rise up in Pigeon Pose on your right side.
Bend your back (left) knee and reach your left arm back.
Take hold of the outside of your left ankle.
Flex your left foot and try to maintain equal weight in both hips.
Continue to roll your shoulders back and lift your chest forward and up, keeping great form as you look to the ceiling. , If you feel confident reaching back with your left hand to grab your left foot, reach your right arm back and hold onto the inside of your left ankle.
Square your shoulders to the front of the room.
Having both hands back requires core control, balance, and flexibility.
Hold this variation for 4-5 breaths, then ease your foot back to the ground. -
Step 3: Slide your left leg back behind you.
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Step 4: Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor.
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Step 5: Place your hands on either side of your leg.
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Step 6: Exhale and lay your torso down over your right leg.
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Step 7: Hold this pose for 4-5 breaths.
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Step 8: Rise up and place your hands back on the floor.
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Step 9: Exhale as you lower your right leg down.
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Step 10: Take your time with this pose.
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Step 11: Modify the pose if you are a more advanced yoga practitioner.
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Step 12: Return yourself to downward facing dog
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Step 13: making sure your feet and palms are situated firmly on the floor.
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Step 14: Pick your right leg up and extend it straight behind you.
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Step 15: Pull your left knee in towards your chest as you inhale.
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Step 16: Lay the outside of your right thigh down on the mat so that your foot points to the left.
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Step 17: Once you have your balance
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Step 18: bring your hands back and set them even with your hips.
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Step 19: Straighten your back leg so that you are resting on the top of your left foot.
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Step 20: Elongate the spine
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Step 21: control your breathing
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Step 22: and sink your butt to the floor.
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Step 23: Bend forward to deepen the stretch in your butt and hips.
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Step 24: Reach back and grab your back leg with both hands for an advanced pose.
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Step 25: Add a second hand to the advanced pose to push yourself.
Detailed Guide
Your knees should be right below your hips on the mat.
Your hands should be slightly ahead of your shoulders.Once you get the basic pose down, it is usually best to learn how to flow into pigeon pose from downward-facing dog.
Slide it forward to the back of your right wrist.
Angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee, behind your left hand.
The outside of your right shin should now rest on the floor.
The further forward your right heel is, the deeper and more intense the pose will be.
Keep your right foot flexed to help protect your knee.
If you are a yoga beginner, bend your front knee as much as you need so it feels comfortable and not tight or tense.
It’s important to protect your knee in this pose to prevent irritating the joint.
As you continue to practice this pose, you will be able to bring your shin more parallel with the front edge of the mat., Straighten it and let the front of your thigh sit on the floor.
Look behind you to make sure your left leg is extended straight behind you, not out to one side.
Make sure your back thigh is rotating inward.
Press all five toes of your back foot onto the mat. , Position your right heel so it is in front of your left hip.
Your body will want to avoid putting weight on your right hip, especially if it is tight.
Try to maintain equal weight in both hips. , Inhale and rise up on your fingertips.
Try to elongate your spine.
Lengthen your lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward. , Don’t worry about putting your head on the mat.
Only lower to a point that is comfortable for your hips but also gives them a deep stretch.
Focus on placing equal weight on both hips and keeping your spine long.
If your hips are flexible or open, stretch your arms forward and stack your hands on top of each other.
Rest your head on your hands, laying your torso over your right thigh. , Inhale and exhale deeply through your nose.
Continue to maintain equal weight in both hips and extend your spine forward and down. , Inhale as you carefully slide your left knee forward.
Exhale and lift your right leg up and back into Downward Facing Dog Pose.
Keep your right leg lifted to release any tension in your right hip for 1-2 breaths. , Drop down on your knees to all-fours.
Repeat the same pose with your left leg.
Make sure you position your left leg correctly and breath deeply with each movement. , Pigeon Pose can cause emotional resistance for some people, especially if the hip area is tight.
If your hips feel too tight or uncomfortable, take a deep breath and come out of the pose.
Practice another sun salutation and then try the pose again.
Go slowly and only as far as feels comfortable for your hips and your knee.
Don’t force your hips into the pose.
Be patient and go slow.
Over time, your flexibility will increase and your hips will respond to this opening. , More seasoned yoga practitioners, or those with flexible hips, can deepen the pose into a backbend.
Inhale and rise up in Pigeon Pose on your right side.
Bend your back (left) knee and reach your left arm back.
Take hold of the outside of your left ankle.
Flex your left foot and try to maintain equal weight in both hips.
If this feels good, reach your right arm back and hold onto the inside of your left ankle.
Square your shoulders to the front of the room.
Hold this variation for 4-5 breaths.
Continue to roll your shoulders back and lift your chest forward and up.
Slowly release the variation and place your hands on either side of your right leg.
Repeat this variation on the opposite side. , Lift your heels individually off the ground
-- you should be able to freely move one leg. , Lift your leg and straighten it back.
The goal is for your leg to continue the diagonal line upward from your back, but don't worry if you're not flexible enough for this yet.
Hold you leg up for one deep, controlled breath. , Slowly bring your knee up towards the front of your body, bending it roughly 90-degrees as it passes your chest. , This is the crucial move into pigeon.
As your leg comes forward, work on fluidly bending it and placing it down in front of you.
You should be resting on the outside of your right leg and the top of your left leg, which hasn't moved.
Focus on exhaling as you set this leg down, as it will make it easier to stretch into the pose.
The further forward you can get your knee, keeping it bent 90-degrees or more, the deeper the stretch. , Your hands are probably out in front of you from downward dog.
Using your fingertips to grip the mat, place them back near your hips, 6-8" behind shoulder level or so. , Slowly pick up your back foot, which should be resting on your toes.
Uncurl them so that you can rest on the top of your foot. , Once you've gotten yourself into pigeon pose from downward dog, the rest of the form is exactly the same.
Focus on elongating your spine, lifting your chin and chest so that you feel tall and relaxed.
With each exhale, try and bring your butt closer to the floor, deepening the stretch. , When ready, fold forward so that your chest rests on your knee.
Your forehead should be almost on the floor, or touching.
Extend your arms completely out in front of them with your palms on the floor.
Again, use each exhalation to pull deeper into pigeon pose. , Inhale and rise up in Pigeon Pose on your right side.
Bend your back (left) knee and reach your left arm back.
Take hold of the outside of your left ankle.
Flex your left foot and try to maintain equal weight in both hips.
Continue to roll your shoulders back and lift your chest forward and up, keeping great form as you look to the ceiling. , If you feel confident reaching back with your left hand to grab your left foot, reach your right arm back and hold onto the inside of your left ankle.
Square your shoulders to the front of the room.
Having both hands back requires core control, balance, and flexibility.
Hold this variation for 4-5 breaths, then ease your foot back to the ground.
About the Author
Joyce Diaz
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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