Half Pigeon Pose
Ardha Kapotasana
Half Pigeon Pose aka Ardha Kapotasana is a deep, multi-tasking hip opener that increases the range of motion in the hip flexors, outer hips, glutes, and even helps to relieve back pain.
Common Name: Half Pigeon Pose
Sanskrit Name: Ardha Kapotasana (arta kah-poh-TAHS-anna)
Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Seated, Hip Opener
Half Pigeon Pose, or Ardha Kapotasana, is a yoga posture that targets deep hip opening and can be both challenging and rewarding. This pose is highly effective in stretching and releasing tension in the hips and thighs, improving flexibility, and promoting hip mobility. Half Pigeon Pose is a great pose to alleviate discomfort associated with prolonged sitting, making it a valuable addition to modern sedentary lifestyles.
Half Pigeon Pose has many variations to accommodate different levels of flexibility. Whether in its full expression (King Pigeon Pose) or using props and modifications, practitioners can tailor the pose to their individual needs, gradually working towards deeper hip openness. This adaptability makes it accessible to a wide range of people, from beginners to experienced yogis, and underscores its versatility as a valuable addition to any yoga practice.
Half Pigeon Pose Steps
Step 1
Begin in Downward Facing Dog, feet hip-distance apart, arms shoulder-width apart.
Step 2
On an inhale, sweep your right leg up towards the sky. On the exhale, draw your knee in towards your chest.
Step 3
Bring your knee down to the ground, just outside of your right wrist. Your shin can stay angled towards the left hip, or you can try to make it parallel with the top of your mat depending on your flexibility. The more parallel with the top of the mat, the deeper the stretch will be in your outer hip.
Step 4
Bring your left leg down to the mat, so that the whole front of your left leg is flat on the ground. Take a moment to look back and make sure that your left leg is pointing straight back and not splayed out to the side.
Step 5
Come up onto your fingertips and square your hips, trying to keep them both level with the ground. If this feels difficult for you or if your left hip doesn’t touch the ground, you can bring your right sit bone on top of a yoga block, folded blanket, or pillow to balance out the hips. It’s important to keep the hips squared throughout the pose.
Step 6
If this feels like enough, you can stay here for a few deep breaths. If you’d like to go a little deeper, you can take a big inhale here, lengthen your spine. On the exhale, start to fold forward, maybe bringing your forearms down, or even your whole torso and forehead if that’s available to you. Stay for 5-10 deep breaths. This pose should feel intense but not painful. If you’re experiencing pain, you are probably stretching too deeply. Work on your form and start with a small range of motion first.
Step 7
Come back up onto your fingertips, swing your left leg forward and right leg back to swap sides.
Step 8
Rise back up onto your fingertips. To exit the pose, press into your palms, lift your left hip and knee of the ground, and step back to a high plank or Downward Dog.
Modifications
If this pose feels too intense, you can try Thread the Needle pose as a lower-impact beginner-friendly option.
If your hips aren’t level in the pose, bring a yoga block, folded blanket, or bolster under the hip of the bent leg to even out the hips and maintain a squared position.
If the forward fold feels too difficult, you can bring your forearms down on top of yoga blocks as you work on building flexibility.
The pose should be intense but not painful. If you feel pain in the hips or knees at any point throughout the pose, stop and try a less intense hip-opener stretch.
Benefits
• Stretches the hips, glutes, thighs, and lower back.
• Relieves stress, anxiety, and sadness.
Cautions
• Knee injury
• Hip injury
• Lower back injury
• Don’t fold all the way forward during late state pregnancy
