YanvaYoga > Yoga Poses > Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Reclining Bound Angle pose

Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) name comes from the Sanskrit words ‘supta’=’reclined’, ‘baddha’= ‘bound’, ‘kona’ = ‘angle’ or ‘split’ and ‘asana’=’posture’. This pose comes under the category of restorative yoga poses, where while practicing yoga practitioner is more conscious of the body in order to renew energy and calm the nervous system. Generally this pose concludes a yoga session to end in a beautiful relaxing way to gain control over the body and the mind. The supine position gives rest to the back and the hips and hence this pose is a must as part of every yoga session. Most relaxing yoga poses look easy but they require tremendous effort to bring the mind to focus on the body while the body is relaxed. This only comes through practice.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose is considered a base pose as reclining bound angle pose variations can be derived from this pose.Reclining Bound Angle Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in flow yoga sequences.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1
Lie down comfortably on your back, with your legs extended and your arms at your sides, palms face up toward the ceiling.
Step 2
Bend your knees to bring the soles (bottoms) of your feet together to touch. The outer (pinky toe) edges of your feet should be resting on the mat. Let the legs fall open and allow gravity to support the weight of the legs.
Step 3
Check in with your body. If your hips and groin are feeling tight, you can take your feet further away from your body; alternately, if you’re feeling more open, you can bring your feet closer toward your body to deepen the stretch.
Step 4
Relax your shoulders away from your ears and allow your back body to sink more deeply into the mat. Stay in the pose anywhere from one to five minutes, depending on your level of comfort.
Step 5
To come out of the pose, take the palms of the hands on the outer thighs to gently fold the legs together, and bring the soles of the feet flat down on the mat. Then, hug your knees into your chest and gently rock from side to side to release the low back.

Pose Detail

Benefits and Contraindications

Benefits

Stimulates abdominal organs like the ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys

Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation

Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees

Helps relieve the symptoms of stress, mild depression, menstruation and menopause

Contraindications

Hip pathologies.

Ankle pathologies.

Low back pathologies (if supine positioning creates pain)

Knee, hip, or groin injury.

Photo poses in different angles

Tips

Take your arms as wide as you need—the more space you create between the arms and the body, the more you widen the shoulder blades and allow the back of the body to relax.

Blocks, blankets and bolsters are a wonderful way to support yourself in this pose. A bolster under the back, blocks or blankets under the outer knees or thighs, and/or a blanket beneath the head can feel divine and be deeply restorative.

Most of us have a tendency to be tight in the hips and groin from sitting at a desk all day. Rather than resisting the discomfort, inhale and send your breath and your patience even into the most inflexible parts of yourself—they need love too!

Letting go of tension in one area of the body can sometimes indirectly send tension elsewhere. As you remain in this pose, remember to keep the jaw relaxed, the breath steady, and the heart and mind open.

Modifications & Variations
  • Reclined Butterfly Pose Bolster Under Knees
  • Reclined Butterfly Pose Blocks Under Hips
  • Reclined Butterfly Legs Aerial
  • Reclined Butterfly With Blocks And Blankets
  • Reclined Butterfly With Bolster
  • Reclined Butterfly Pose Block Under Sacrum Feet Back Chair
  • Reclined Half Lotus Pose With Bolster And Blanket
  • Reclined Butterfly Pose Block Under Sacrum
  • Butterfly Bridge Lifts
  • Reclined Butterfly With Blocks
  • Reclining Bound Angle Pose Variation Foot Over The Foot
Top Preparatory Poses
  • Happy Baby Pose
  • Bridge Pose
  • Supin Spinal Twist Pose II
Top Follow-Up Poses
  • Corpse Pose
  • Wind Release Pose
  • Supin Spinal Twist Pose II
Iana Varshavska
Iana Varshavska
Website administrator

In love with yoga and everything that goes along with it. Iana is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) who has completed the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification by the Yoga Alliance U.S. In addition to that, she is constantly studying and improving her skills in various aspects of yoga philosophy, yoga anatomy, biomechanics, and holodynamics.