Frog Pose

Bhekāsana

Frog Pose
CategoryBackbends TypeStretch LevelIntermediate Hold25 sec MusclesLegs, Chest, Hips BreathingEven breathing, chest open

Frog Pose, or Bhekasana (Sanskrit "bheka" means frog), is a belly-down backbend: your palms hold the tops of your feet and press them down beside your hips as your chest lifts off the floor. Don't confuse it with the frog stretch, where your knees spread wide to open the groin.

The app rates Bhekasana intermediate and includes it in one sequence, Deep Backbend.

How to do it

  1. EnterLying on your belly, bend your knees and hold the tops of your feet with your palms, fingers pointing the same way as your toes. Inhale, lift your chest, and gently press your feet down.
  2. HoldYour feet move toward the floor beside your hips, knees hip-width apart. Chest opens, shoulders roll back. Press on your feet only as much as your knees allow.
  3. ExitRelease your feet, extend your legs, and lower your chest.
More detail

Warm up the fronts of your thighs and your back first: Sphinx Pose, Hero Pose and a low lunge with a backbend all work well. Beginners do better starting with one leg: prop yourself on one forearm and take the foot on the same side with your free hand.

The grip is the trickiest part. Rest your palm on top of your foot, then rotate your elbow to point up, and only after that press down. Your feet don't need to reach the floor; your knee sets the depth.

Benefits

Double duty: a quadriceps stretch and a chest-opening backbend.

Bhekasana handles two tasks at once: it stretches your quadriceps and the tops of your feet while opening your chest and the fronts of your shoulders. That's why it appears in backbend sequences, where it prepares you for Bow Pose and other deep backbends.

Your back muscles also stay busy keeping your chest off the floor.

Cautions

  • Knee injuries
  • Lower back pain

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.

Common mistakes

  • Forcing your feet down through knee pain. The stretch belongs in the thigh muscle, not inside the joint.
  • Letting your knees splay wide. Keep your thighs parallel.
  • Lifting your chest by squeezing your lower back. Reach your pubic bone toward the floor and your chest forward.
  • Hunching your shoulders toward your ears. Draw them back, elbows pointing up.
  • Holding your breath as you lift.

Counterpose

Child's Pose Child's Pose Beginner

Where it appears

  • Deep Backbend 35 min · Advanced · voice-guided in the app subscription

Similar poses

Bow Pose Bow Pose Intermediate Camel Pose Camel Pose Intermediate Fish Pose Fish Pose Intermediate Revolved Cobra Pose Revolved Cobra Pose Intermediate One-Legged Bow Pose One-Legged Bow Pose Intermediate Bird Dog with Foot Hold Bird Dog with Foot Hold Intermediate

Questions

What are the benefits of Frog Pose in yoga? It stretches the fronts of your thighs and opens your chest in one shape, saving time where you'd normally need two separate poses.

Can I do Frog Pose with a knee injury? No. Knee injuries are on its list of contraindications, and so is lower back pain. If you're uninjured but your knee feels off, ease the pressure on your feet or practice with a single leg.

How long should I hold Bhekasana? 25 seconds on the app's pose card and 35 in the Deep Backbend sequence. Rest in Child's Pose afterward.

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