Hare Pose with Thighs Forward and Arms Alongside Legs

How to do Hare Pose with Thighs Forward and Arms Alongside Legs

1. 1Begin in Child's Pose with your knees hip-width apart and your arms resting alongside your legs, palms facing up.
2. 2Inhale deeply, draw your chin gently toward your chest, and bring the crown of your head onto the mat just in front of your knees.
3. 3As you exhale, press down lightly through your shins and tops of your feet to lift your hips up off your heels.
4. 4Shift your pelvis forward until your thighs are vertical or angled slightly forward, transferring weight into the legs rather than compressing the neck.
5. 5Keep your arms resting alongside your shins with palms up and shoulders melting away from your ears.
6. 6Draw your navel gently toward your spine to support your lower back and maintain a smooth, even curve from tailbone to crown.
7. 7Breathe steadily for five to eight breaths, keeping the back of your neck long and throat relaxed.
8. 8Lower your hips back toward your heels on an exhalation and rest in Child's Pose for several breaths before rising.

Benefits

• Decompresses the intervertebral spaces throughout the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.
• Stretches the deep postural muscles of the upper back, neck, and shoulders.
• Stimulates blood flow to the head and brain through a gentle inversion.
• Encourages parasympathetic activation to calm mental chatter and reduce fatigue.
• Gently massages the abdominal organs through deep diaphragmatic breathing in flexion.

Common mistakes and cues

• Dumping weight in the neck

  Distribute pressure actively through your shins, tops of feet, and core rather than loading the cervical spine.

• Hunching shoulders to ears

  Broaden your collarbones and draw your shoulder blades down your back to keep the neck free.

• Over-tucking the chin

  Keep a small space under the chin so your throat remains open and breathing is unimpeded.

• Lax abdominal engagement

  Gently pull your lower belly inward to support the natural curve and protect the lower back.

• Collapsing hips back

  Keep the hips lifted and active over the knees so the spine can open evenly along its full length.

Modifications and props

• Folded blanket under head

  Place a folded blanket under the crown of your head to soften floor contact and ease sensitive scalps.

• Block under hips

  Place a yoga block between your calves to offer support if lifting the hips fully causes strain.

• Hands pressing floor

  Keep your palms grounded beside your knees to bear more body weight and protect a fragile neck.

• Blanket under shins

  Cushion your shins and knees with an unfolded blanket to reduce knee and ankle pressure.

Cautions

• Neck or cervical spine injuries

  Avoid placing direct weight on the head if you have acute neck pain, disc herniations, or cervical arthritis.

• Glaucoma or eye pressure

  Steer clear of head-down inversions if you have unmanaged eye conditions, detached retina, or severe ear infections.

• High blood pressure

  Modify or avoid sustained holds if you have uncontrolled hypertension that is sensitive to inversion postures.

• Vertigo or dizziness

  Exit slowly and rest in Child's Pose if you experience disorientation or lightheadedness when inverting.

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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