One Legged King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana)

One Legged King Pigeon is a full-expression backbend that dramatically opens the chest, shoulders, and hip flexors while simultaneously stretching the outer hip of the front leg. This pose is considered a pinnacle of the pigeon family, requiring significant preparation of the spine, shoulders, and hip flexors before safely reaching the full expression. From a pigeon base, the back knee bends and the foot reaches toward the head as the arms loop or extend overhead to catch the back foot.

Cues

• Press the front shin into the mat and square your hips forward before initiating any backbend.
• Lead the lift from your sternum rather than crunching in the lower back to distribute the backbend through the entire spine.
• Breathe into your chest and collar bones as you draw your elbows closer together overhead to create space for the foot to descend toward your crown.
• Engage your core lightly to protect the lumbar spine and avoid over-compressing the lower back.