Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) is a deep back-bending yoga pose where you lie face down, bend your knees, and reach back to grab your ankles, lifting your chest and thighs off the floor to form a bow shape. It opens the entire front body — chest, abs, hip flexors, quads — while strengthening the back muscles.
Muscle Group
Back, Chest, Yoga
Equipment Required
Bodyweight
Type
Flexibility
Equipment
Band
Difficulty
Intermediate
Key Benefits
- Deeply stretches the chest, abs, hip flexors, and quads
- Strengthens the entire back chain
- Opens the front of the shoulders
- Counteracts forward-hunched posture
- Energizing and invigorating
- No equipment needed
How to perform
- Lie face down on the floor with arms at your sides.
- Bend both knees, bringing your heels toward your glutes.
- Reach back with both hands and grip the outsides of your ankles or feet.
- Inhale and lift your chest off the floor by pressing your feet back into your hands.
- Simultaneously lift your thighs off the floor, deepening the back bend.
- Engage your glutes and core. Look forward, not up (to protect the neck).
- Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. Breathe into the front body.
- Release slowly back to the floor.
FRONT VIEW
BACK VIEW
Abs
Primary
Glutes
Primary
Lower Back
Primary
Quadriceps
Primary
Chest
Primary