Head-to-Knee Pose

Janu Sirsasana

"Yoga is not about touching your toes. It’s about what you learn on the way down" - Judith Hanson Lasater

Head-to-Knee Pose

HOW TO PRACTICE Head-to-Knee Pose IN YOGA (Janu Sirsasana)

Benefits, How to Instructions, Modifications, and Common Alignment Mistakes for Head-to-Knee Pose

 

Head-to-Knee yoga pose (Janu Sirsasana) with a strap

Head-to-Knee Pose (Sanskrit name: Janu Sirsasana) is a wonderful forward folding posture to include toward the end of a yoga class. Janu Sirsasana is also known as “Ardha Paschimottanasana” (Half-Seated Forward Bend Pose or Half-West Stretch Pose). Unlike its cousin Paschimottanasana, Janu Sirsasana stretches just one leg at a time. By focusing the effort primarily on one side in this manner, the entire back line of the body can experience an integrated stretch from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head. 

Benefits of Head-to-Knee Pose

Head-to-Knee yoga pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Janu Sirsasana helps lengthen the hamstrings, calves, and deep rotator muscles of the legs. In the upper body, the major back muscles engage, as do the obliques that provide a mild rotation in the chest toward the extended leg. For some yoga students, Head-to-Knee pose can aid in digestion, as its position squeezes the abdomen. Like all forward folding yoga poses, Head-to-Knee Pose cultivates inner focus for the mind, soothing and calming nerves. 

Please note, that although we often think of “full expression” in seated forward bends means that your head should touch your knees, this is not necessary in order to create a satisfying, full-body experience. Even though the yoga posture is most commonly called “Head-to-Knee Pose,” touching your head to your knee is not the point and often comes at the expense of the back, which rounds excessively in order to accomplish the head-to-knee goal. This can be harmful to your lumbar discs. 

If your hamstrings are tight and forward folding is a challenge, hinging forward from the hips while keeping the upper spine long is much more important than touching your head to your knee. Lengthening the spine and hinging from the pelvis provides a much more effective hamstring stretch as well.

The late Mary Dunn, a senior Iyengar teacher, called Janu Sirsasana “Head of the Knee Pose,” referring to the head of the bent knee. In Iyengar’s interpretation, she said, actively extending outward through the head of the bent knee is what makes the asana dynamic. Feel free to explore how outward extension of the bent knee affects the rest of the body in the yoga pose.

Basic Head-to-Knee Pose

Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

  1. Start by sitting in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with your hips on a folded blanket (or two). 
  2. Lift the sternum tall, finding length in your spine. 
  3. Bend the left leg, placing the foot to the inside of the right thigh. Stretch the left knee outward—not downward—from the pelvis.
  4. Place your left hand on the outside of your right thigh, and your right hand on the floor behind the sacrum. 
  5. On an inhalation, lengthen the spine. As you exhale, twist from the ribcage to the right. Allow your right hip to draw back if it wants to.
  6. Face your head forward and gaze at your right big toe. 
  7. Keeping your torso twisted to the right, start to hinge forward over your extended leg from the hip joints. 
  8. Grab ahold of your foot with both hands. If you can’t reach your foot with your hands, place a strap around your foot and hold both ends in your hands. Then walk your hands up the strap toward your foot to take up the slack. Keep your torso long.
  9. Roll the left ribs down toward the right leg, and the right ribs away from the right leg.
  10. Relax and take 5 to 10 deep breaths. On an inhalation lift your gaze, then lift all the way up to sitting.
  11. Repeat all of the steps on the other side. 

Try Us Free! Get a Sample Pose Report to Experience the Full Benefits of the YogaU Pose Library.

Click Here

Check out our premium content

Video practice examples

For every yoga pose

Learn Common Alignment issues

And how to deal with them

Tips for beginners

Learn the best prep poses for each yoga pose

sign up now

Try Free for 7 Days

FAQs

Curious to learn more?

See all FAQs

FAQs

How to personalize my practice?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library helps you fit yoga poses to your individual body. It provides tools for you to customize yoga poses to your body's needs in order to gain the benefits of each yoga pose. 

When working your way through the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library, pay particular attention to the Yoga 2.0 Poses section as well as the Preparatory Poses under the Teaching Tips tab. This is where you will find some of the juiciest content in the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What do I get When I sign Up?

When you register for a basic account, you get access to basic pose information about each yoga pose. You can also view three Pose Library blog articles or three yoga pose video tutorials each month. 

If you choose to register for a premium account, you will have access to our library of 1000s of unique Yoga 2.0 pose modifications, video tutorials for each yoga pose, preparatory yoga poses and common misalignments for every yoga pose, precautions, and more!

If you choose to subscribe to our premium Plus membership, you will also get access to our Yoga Sequence Builder, which allows you to create a yoga practice sequence with any and all of the yoga poses featured throughout the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What are Yoga 2.0 Poses?

The idea behind Yoga 2.0 is that yoga poses should be individualized for every person. 

Yoga 2.0 Poses give you a foundation to begin designing your own customized yoga practice that suits your body's needs.

Choosing the right Yoga 2.0 Pose begins with your relationship with your body and making healthy choices that respect your personal boundaries. 

Is this for beginners too?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is for every body! 

Whether you are a beginner or already far along on your yoga journey, the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library has something for everyone. 

Are you looking for creative, fun ways to modify yoga poses? Check out our collection of Yoga 2.0 Poses, which features 1000s of Yoga Pose Modifications. 

Looking to expand your practice or teaching? The Teaching Tips and Deepen the Pose sections provide fun ways to challenge your yoga practice as well as practical tips for learning and teaching new yoga poses. 

Can't find a certain pose

Our Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is an ever-expanding library. 

We will be adding new yoga poses over time - keep checking back for our latest yoga poses!

Share

Check out our Mastery content!

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for our Mastery membership.

Includes Pose Precautions and special access to our state of the art Yoga Sequence Builder.

 

View options

Sorry, You have reached your
monthly limit of views

To access, join us for a free 7-day membership trial to support expanding the Pose Library resources to the yoga community.

Sign up for a FREE 7-day trial

You need a free account to do this

Register for a free account to save your Favorite Poses! You can return to them again and again!

Click below to join us!

Simply click below to register and join us. Your Favorite Poses will appear in your private Dashboard section of the site.

Get your free account

Login

Check out our premium content

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for one of our premium memberships.

 

1000s of pose modifications & more!

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library features 1000s of yoga pose modifications, video tutorials, teaching and practice tips, best prep poses, and common alignment issues for every yoga pose.

 

View options