Seated Forward Bend B (Holding the Feet) anatomy

Seated Forward Bend B (Holding the Feet) · Paschimottanasana B · Tư thế gập người ngồi ôm bàn chân

Seated Forward Bend B (Holding the Feet) mainly works quadriceps, iliopsoas, tibialis anterior, biceps brachii; it stretches hamstrings, gastrocnemius, gluteus maximus, erector spinae.

Opening the 3D model…

Sit in Staff Pose with the legs together and straight, toes pointing up. Inhale to raise the arms and lengthen the spine; exhale and fold from the hips, wrapping the hands around the soles or holding the outer edges of both feet, instead of hooking the big toes as in the basic Seated Forward Bend. The elbows bend out to the sides and lift a little; use light effort in the arms to draw the chest long toward the feet rather than pulling the head down to the knees. The belly reaches the thighs first, then the chest, and finally the forehead or chin moves toward the shins. The whole back of the body, from the calves and hamstrings to the glutes and back muscles, stretches; firm front thighs help the hamstrings let go. If you can't reach the feet yet, bend the knees slightly or loop a strap around the soles, keeping the back long instead of rounding to reach.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Quadriceps, Iliopsoas, Tibialis anterior, Biceps brachii

Stretching: Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius, Gluteus maximus, Erector spinae, Multifidus, Quadratus lumborum, Latissimus dorsi, Rhomboid major

Why these muscles work or stretch

• Quadriceps · Working (contracting): Reciprocal inhibition helps the hamstrings release
• Iliopsoas · Working (contracting): Draws the torso deeper into hip flexion
• Tibialis anterior · Working (contracting): Flexes the feet, the soles pressing into the hands
• Biceps brachii · Working (contracting): Bends the elbows out to the sides, drawing the chest gently forward
• Hamstrings · Stretching: Main stretch
• Erector spinae · Stretching: Lengthens as the torso folds along the legs
• Latissimus dorsi · Stretching: The arms reach around the feet
• Rhomboid major · Stretching: The shoulder blades spread as the elbows open out

Practice cues

• Hinge at the hips leading with the sternum, the belly moving toward the thighs
• Let the elbows open out to the sides, shoulders away from the ears
• Pull lightly with the hands to lengthen the torso; never jerk or force the head down

Benefits

• Stretches the hamstrings, calves and back muscles
• Takes the fold deeper than the basic Seated Forward Bend, with the hands around the feet
• A quiet pose that supports slow breathing and relaxation

Cautions / contraindications

• Avoid with an acute disc herniation or sciatic pain
• Take care with a hamstring injury; bend the knees
• In pregnancy, widen the legs and don't compress the belly

Easier variations

• Sit on a folded blanket, bend the knees and put a rolled blanket under them
• Loop a strap around the soles and hold it with the elbows opening out to the sides

General information, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or teacher.

Written and reviewed by Yoga An Viên center · Updated 24/10/2026

Related poses

• Marichi’s Pose I (Seated Forward Bend) Marichyasana I
• Seated Forward Bend Paschimottanasana
• Head-to-Knee Forward Bend Janu Sirsasana
• Head-to-Knee Forward Bend B (Sitting on the Heel) Janu Sirsasana B
• Head-to-Knee Forward Bend C (Toes Tucked) Janu Sirsasana C
• Three-Limbed Forward Bend Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana

A free community project by Yoga An Viên center · Model: Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0), based on BodyParts3D © DBCLS (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP)