- Yoga Type: Arm Balance.
- Age Group: Teens to Adults.
- Level: Advanced.
- Mental Benefit: Enhances focus, concentration, and mental resilience by challenging balance.
- Physical Benefit: Builds upper body and core strength and enhances arm and shoulder stability.
Hey! My name is Elyce Elowen. I do yoga and I also tutor people on how to teach yoga. Today, I will be glad to tell you of the benefits that one is likely to gain from practicing the hurdler’s pose yoga.
They are very effective for getting flexible and strong muscles of the body as well as this pose offers most of the health benefits more than the other poses.
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ToggleIt can assist you in avoiding that sluggish feeling that seems to overwhelm people nowadays.
If you are new at exercising or just starting or are a long-time yoga practitioner, you are welcome here.
Join me in discovering more about the yoga hurdler’s pose!
What is Hurdler’s Pose Yoga?
The hurdler’s pose yoga is a dynamic type of stretching that targets your legs, hips and lower back.
In this pose, you sit with one straight leg and one folded leg where you place your hands and feet.
This position resembles a runner in athletics with a barrier ready for a leap over the barrier.
Thus, with the progress of training, one must mark increases in his or her general flexibility and coordination.
This position when held alongside also assists in developing body awareness and that is vital, especially in Yoga.
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How To Prepare For Hurdler’s Pose Yoga

Doubling down on the yoga hurdler’s pose is easy. Here is a guide to help you prepare:
- Choose a Comfortable Space: These are; Identify practice locations that have low traffic to avoid distractions. A yoga mat works best.
- Warm Up Together: Before starting separate exercises spend some time to wake up your body with some non-strenuous exercises. Make dynamic stretches a part of your warm-up to circulate your blood.
- Communicate Clearly: Whether you are rehearsing with other people, you need to ensure that everyone knows what you expect of them. Support each other throughout the process.
- Start with Simple Poses: Examples are, starting with basic stretches such as Child Pose or Cat-Cow to warm up before proceeding with other types of poses.
- Use Props as Needed: If you feel the need to support your hands or hips, then take a yoga block or cushion. It is also made easier than the previous step with the help of this photo to make a pose.
- Practice Mindfulness: Find your gaze fixed on something in front of you, such as the horizon, and close your eyes. Here you will get to know how to mindfully be present during your practice. [1]
Warm-Up Exercises for Hurdler’s Pose Yoga
Here are some fun warm-up exercises you can do before the hurdler’s pose yoga:
- Joint Rotations: To begin, make gentle circular motions only with your wrists and ankles, and with your neck. This loosens up your joints.
- Side Stretches: Stand straight and put one arm up above your head, positioning it on the opposite side of your body from where you’re standing. Switch sides.
- Forward Bends: In this exercise, a person has to stand straight and attempt to bring his/her hands as close as possible to the toes as possible with the back straight. This helps to stretch your back and legs.
- Dynamic Lunges: After going further you move one leg forward and bend at the knee sitting above the ankle. One leg for as many reps as you can complete.
- Cat-Cow Stretch: Get on your hands and knees. Below the neck, round it backward like a cat, and then reverse it and round it forward like a cow to refresh the spine.
- Group Breathing: Now sit comfortably in a circle, and everyone should take a deep breath as one.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and blow the air out through your mouth to settle yourselves down.
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How to Perform a Hurdler’s Pose Yoga

Follow these steps to perform the hurdler’s pose yoga:
- Start Sitting: Kneel/asymmetric free-apparatus; lie flat on your back with your legs drawn up to your buttocks. Straighten your back.
- Bend One Leg: Fold the right leg to make the foot of the shoe to be near the inner thigh of the left leg. Your knee should come exactly to the side, so your knee is pointing to the side.
- Flex Your Foot: Bend the foot on the extended leg to maintain the circulation on your leg.
- This safeguards your knee and increases the efficacy of the stretch.
- Sit Up Tall: Do not hunch the shoulders and keep your back straight. This posture helps you maintain balance.
- The other posture that is quite popular is when the player who is not passing sits on the balls of his/her feet.
- Lean Forward: Lean forward till you feel your upper body hovering slightly over the extended leg.
- Place your hands on your thigh or calf for you to be supported whenever you are pulling.
- Hold the Pose: Hold yourself in this position for 20-30 seconds and try to breathe deeply. I want to acknowledge the sensation in the hamstring and hips, that sort of pulling pain.
- Switch Legs: Keep alternating between the legs and do the same thing on the other side of the body.
Body Parts Movement:
Body Parts | Movement Type | Description |
Hands | Moving (Initially), Static | Hands move to ground firmly on the mat, then stay steady to support the body’s weight and balance. |
Chest | Static | Chest remains lifted and open to maintain alignment and stability throughout the pose. |
Feet | Moving (Initially), Static | One foot stays grounded while the other lifts, with toes pointed for stability and balance. |
Knees | Moving | One knee bends and moves toward the tricep, engaging the core and hip flexors for controlled positioning. |
Shoulders | Moving (Initially), Static | Shoulders engage as you move into the pose, remaining stable and strong to support body weight. |
Back | Static | Back stays engaged and neutral to support core stability and maintain body alignment in the pose. |
Benefits of Hurdler’s Pose Yoga
Mental Benefits
- Worshipping a hurdler’s posture can be helpful when one needs to find an optimal way to free his mind from stress.
- If one is instructed to pay attention to his/her breath while at this form of exercise, it feels more like a relaxation process.
- This mental state can help optimize your operation in your day-to-day activities. Some of the benefits of the exercise include improved balance concerning feelings and emotions and a more positive attitude. [2]
Physical Benefits
- The hurdler’s pose yoga stretches your hamstrings, hips, and lower back, and enhances your suppleness and solidity.
- This increased flexibility can help you avoid injuries especially if you engage in sporting activities or any other rigorous activities.
- Furthermore, it also trains your body to maintain the correct sitting position that is always straight back with the tummy muscles tensed.
Improved Athletic Performance
In particular, it is helpful for athletes to perform the indicated pose. The hurdler’s pose yoga can thus be useful in improving the flexibility that helps run and, to mention, a few activities that require flexibility and strength.
It also makes it more fitting to be incorporated into any training routine of athletes and bodybuilders.
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Variation of Hurdler’s Pose Yoga
- For those of you who would like to have the higher level of the hurdler’s pose yoga, you can try the variation.
- One particular modification is to lean forward when in the pose. This gives an extra stretch for your back and legs.
- Another is to keep the position for more seconds or at least attempt the exercise with an adjustment which is especially about the spine.
Modifications for Hurdler’s Pose Yoga
If you find it hard to perform the hurdler’s pose yoga, try these modifications:
Use a Yoga Block: It will help to place some other block beneath your hands to gain more support.
This proves useful especially if you cannot touch your toes at a certain point in time.
Bend Your Knee: If your hamstrings are tight, be sure to keep the knee of the extended leg only slightly bent.
Sit on a Cushion: It will also help if you use a cushion to raise the hips and make this pose less painful.
Beginner’s Tips
Listen to Your Body: It will also be important to always monitor how you feel at any one time. They are, do not overexert yourself.
Practice Regularly: The hurdler’s pose yoga like most exercises becomes easier the more you try it. It should be part of your daily schedule.
Stay Patient: A good example of flexibility is evident through the following points: Enjoy every step of the ladder despite the fact that they are but mere incremental advancements.
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Expert Tips
Focus on Your Breath: You need to breathe deeply to remain calm while in the pose. Take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Maintain a Straight Back: It is important not to round your back in stretching. That helps to avoid potential harm and makes you stand straighter.
Be Mindful: Be conscious of the feelings in the body while in that pose. If you feel any discomfort at all, get out, wait for some time then try it again.
Safety Precautions
Yoga must always be practiced carefully. Here are some safety tips:
Warm Up Properly: It is also important that muscles are preconditioned before stretching.
Avoid Overstretching: If this happens, and you begin to feel pain during a workout, then halt and take a break.
Modify as Needed: You should not be scared to change the pose to fit your body’s needs that you have at that particular time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rounding Your Back: To prevent stressing the muscles at the back, try to maintain an upright posture of your back at all times.
Holding Your Breath: Always take deep breaths when you are in that position to avoid getting tired quickly when you are holding the pose.
Forcing the Stretch: Move into the posture gently, do not force the body into it.
Case Study:
I do this pose and also search on different forums. Reddit User (bakingwhilebaking) said it was with my hands on blocks that I achieved my first hurdler Pose. They really make this so much simple for me. For more visit Reddit
Final Words of VeryFit Life
It’s also a suitable asana to develop stamina and endurance. Therefore, if you are thinking of practicing more advanced asanas in the future, learning this pose will help you a lot in terms of achieving your physical ability goals as well as the mental benefits that yoga offers.
Just see how your body reacts and keep doing it. In due course, progress will come and it will be nice. So I suggest you give it a try. Your body will appreciate it!
Frequently asked questions
For how long should I be in satwika aasan?
Then breathe again, and hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds. You can increase the duration as you gain confidence in it.
Is hurdler’s pose suitable for beginners?
Certainly! Beginners may perform the pose with various supports for comfort — be sure to take your time.
What muscles are used in making the hurdler pose?
The most affected muscle groups in the pose are the hamstrings, hips, and lower back to improve flexibility in the body.
Is it bad to feel a stretch in your lower back?
A mild stretching in the lumbar region is to be expected. There should however be no acute pain when in the pose.
I should do a hurdler pose?
It is best if time is set aside at least a few times a week for this. Otherwise, your flexibility and strength will not be improved in any way by this exercise.
Addison’s research will show how much pressure relief one can experience by doing added covering pose yoga. It’s a great way of boosting your physical and mental wellness.
Good luck with your practice!
Source:
Learn to fly in Hurdler’s pose. (2016, April 1). Mindful Movement + Creative Arts.
Ashish. (2024, June 25). Eka pada koundinyasana 2: How to do, benefits, precautions – Fitsri Yoga. Fitsri Yoga.
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