Diamond Pose

How to do Diamond Pose

1. 1Begin by kneeling on your mat with your knees and big toes touching or slightly separated.
2. 2Point your toes straight back so the tops of your feet rest flat against the floor.
3. 3Lower your hips back onto your heels, balancing your weight evenly across both sit bones.
4. 4Stack your shoulders directly over your hips and gently draw your lower abdomen in to support the lumbar spine.
5. 5Rest your palms flat on your thighs or turn them upward in a relaxed mudra.
6. 6Soften your shoulders away from your ears and lengthen the back of your neck.
7. 7Gaze softly forward or close your eyes, maintaining a steady, relaxed vertical alignment.

Benefits

• Stretches the quadriceps, shins, and the tops of the feet.
• Promotes natural spinal alignment and counteracts habitual slouching.
• Stimulates blood circulation to the pelvic region and abdominal organs.
• Enhances mobility and flexibility in the ankles and knees.
• Encourages grounded mental focus and nervous system regulation.

Common mistakes and cues

• Splaying the heels outward

  Keep your heels aligned directly under your sit bones rather than letting them flare outward to protect the ankle ligaments.

• Overarching the lower back

  Draw your front ribs gently in toward your spine to prevent excessive lumbar compression.

• Collapsing the chest

  Broaden across your collarbones and keep your spine actively tall rather than slouching forward.

• Sickling the feet

  Ensure your ankles do not roll inward or outward by pressing evenly through the tops of all ten toes.

• Forcing painful knee flexion

  Avoid forcing your hips all the way down if your knees experience pinching or sharp strain.

Modifications and props

• Block between the feet

  Place a yoga block horizontally between your ankles to elevate your seat and reduce pressure on the knees and quads.

• Rolled blanket under ankles

  Slide a rolled blanket beneath the front of your ankles if your tops of feet feel intense tightness against the mat.

• Blanket behind the knees

  Tuck a folded blanket deep into the knee creases before sitting back to create joint space and relieve compression.

• Toes tucked variation

  Tuck your toes underneath rather than pointing them back to stretch the plantar fascia and arches of your feet.

Cautions

• Acute knee injuries

  Avoid deep kneeling if you have active meniscus or ligament inflammation without adequate prop elevation.

• Recent ankle sprains

  Refrain from placing full body weight on the tops of the feet until joint stability and range of motion return.

• Foot cramps

  Exit the posture immediately and gently flex your toes or massage the arches if sudden plantar cramping occurs.

If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.

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