Appears in
Pairs with
Pose · J
Head-to-Knee Pose
Jānu Śīrṣāsana
One leg extended, the other folded in, and the torso folded over the extended leg. Because only one leg is being stretched, this is the pose where a difference between the two sides becomes measurable rather than theoretical.
The shape, with joint angles
The angles are measured on the drawn skeleton and change with the variant you pick. Treat them as a starting reference, not a target to force.
Specification
| Sanskrit | Jānu Śīrṣāsana |
|---|---|
| Also called | Janu sirsasana |
| Level | Beginner |
| Loads | Hamstrings · Hips · Lower back · Side body |
| Props | Mat · Blanket · Block · Strap |
| Typical hold | 45 sec |
| Gaze | |
| Published | 9 October 2026 · By The Asana Desk |
Getting in
- 01
Sit on a folded blanket with both legs extended and the pelvis level.
- 02
Bend the right knee and let it fall out to the side, bringing the sole of the right foot to the inner left thigh.
- 03
Square the torso over the extended leg — the navel should be pointing along the leg, not off to one side.
- 04
Inhale and lengthen the spine, lifting the chest.
- 05
Exhale and fold forward from the hip crease over the extended leg, keeping the spine long rather than rounding.
- 06
Take the hands to the shin, the ankle or the foot, or use a strap around the sole of the foot.
- 07
Hold for 45 seconds, come up on an inhale, and change sides.
Working notes
Folding from the hip, not from the waist
| Reach | Use when | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| Hands to the shin | Hamstrings are tight | The lower back stays long |
| Strap around the sole | Hands will not reach the foot | The spine and the neck |
| Hands to the foot | Hamstrings are long | Nothing — this is the full pose |
| Folded leg's knee on a block | The folded hip is tight | The knee of the folded leg |
The extended leg's hamstring lengthens when the pelvis rotates forward over the thigh bone. It does not lengthen when the spine curls, which is why the rounded version of this pose feels intense and does very little for the hamstring.
That is also why the strap and the block exist. Reaching for the foot with a rounded back is the most common way people spend a year doing this pose without their hamstrings changing at all.
Squaring the torso is the work
The folded knee pulls the torso out of line, and the temptation is to fold diagonally so the forehead meets the knee. That version twists the lower back and stretches neither hamstring well. Keeping the navel pointing along the extended leg is harder, smaller, and the version that works.
If the torso cannot square at all, put a block or a folded blanket under the folded knee to bring the floor up to the leg. Small supports, large difference.
Self-checks
- Is the navel pointing along the extended leg, or off at an angle?
- Is the extended leg's kneecap facing the ceiling?
- Is the lower back long, or has the fold gone into the spine?
- Are both sitting bones still on the floor?
Safety
Skip or heavily modify the pose if any of these apply to you. When in doubt, ask a teacher who can see you move, or a clinician who knows your history.
- Acute lower back pain or a disc problem: keep the torso upright and the hands on the thigh.
- Hamstring strain on the extended leg: bend the knee and reduce the fold.
- Knee injury on the folded leg: keep that knee supported on a block and do not press it down.
- Sciatica: sit higher, keep the folded leg lower, and stop short of the deepest fold.
- Pregnancy: widen the folded knee and keep the torso upright rather than folding.
This page is informational only. It is not medical advice and no pose here is a treatment for any condition.
- Sit on a folded blanket, always, if the pelvis tips back when the legs extend.
- A strap around the sole of the extended foot if the hands do not reach.
- A block or blanket under the folded knee if the hip is tight.
- Bend the extended knee slightly — the hamstring is being lengthened by the pelvis, not by a straight knee.
Useful propsMat · Blanket · Block · Strap
- A strap around the sole is standard equipment for this pose, not a workaround.
- A folded blanket under the sitting bones turns a rounded fold into an honest one.
- A block under the folded knee keeps the pelvis level enough to fold square.
- Acute lower back pain or a disc problem: keep the torso upright and the hands on the thigh.
- Hamstring strain on the extended leg: bend the knee and reduce the fold.
- Knee injury on the folded leg: keep that knee supported on a block and do not press it down.
- Sciatica: sit higher, keep the folded leg lower, and stop short of the deepest fold.
- Pregnancy: widen the folded knee and keep the torso upright rather than folding.
Inhale to lengthen the spine, exhale to fold a little further; then steady breathing in the hold.
- Each exhale may buy a centimetre; do not ask for more than that.
- If the breath is only in the upper chest, the fold has collapsed the ribs; come up slightly.
- Come out of the pose on an inhale, over two breaths.