Knees, Chest and Chin Pose

How to do Knees, Chest and Chin Pose

1. 1Begin in a strong plank pose with your shoulders stacked directly above your wrists.
2. 2Lower both knees to the mat without shifting your hips backward.
3. 3Hug your elbows close against your ribcage, pointing your elbows straight back behind you.
4. 4Lower your chest down between your hands, keeping your hips elevated and buoyant.
5. 5Lightly place the tip of your chin on the floor while gazing softly forward.
6. 6Press firmly through all ten finger pads and toes to distribute weight evenly across your points of contact.
7. 7Maintain subtle tone through your low abdomen to support the natural curve of your lumbar spine.

Benefits

• Strengthens the triceps, anterior shoulders, and chest muscles.
• Increases extension and mobility throughout the thoracic spine.
• Builds shoulder stability and prepares the body for Chaturanga Dandasana.
• Gently stretches the anterior neck, throat, and chest tissues.
• Encourages muscular awareness along the entire posterior chain.
• Improves breath control during dynamic vinyasa transitions.

Common mistakes and cues

• Flaring elbows

  Keep your elbows hugged tightly alongside your ribcage rather than splaying them outwards to protect your shoulder joints.

• Collapsing onto the chin

  Press firmly into your hands and chest so your chin merely grazes the floor without bearing excessive neck weight.

• Dropping the hips

  Keep your pelvis lifted high toward the sky to maintain the distinct spinal arch rather than flattening your belly.

• Shifting backwards

  Lower down with forward momentum rather than rocking your hips back toward your heels before descending.

Modifications and props

• Block under chest

  Place a yoga block on its low or medium height beneath your sternum to reduce shoulder load and neck strain.

• Forehead down

  Rest your forehead on the mat instead of your chin if you experience any cervical spine sensitivity.

• Blanket under knees

  Fold a blanket beneath your knees to provide cushioning and reduce pressure on the kneecaps.

• Wide knee stance

  Widen your knees slightly wider than hip-distance to relieve pressure across your lower back.

Cautions

• Cervical spine injuries

  Avoid pressing the chin firmly into the ground if you have a history of neck pain or disc issues.

• Wrist impingement

  Elevate the heels of your hands on a folded mat or use blocks to reduce the angle of wrist extension.

• Second and third trimester pregnancy

  Avoid this prone compressed posture and substitute with gentle Cat-Cow movements.

• Acute shoulder pathology

  Modify or skip this shape if lowering your body weight triggers rotator cuff or impingement pain.

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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