Eye-of-the-Needle Pose (Reclining Figure Four) anatomy

Eye-of-the-Needle Pose (Reclining Figure Four) · Sucirandhrasana · Tư thế xâu kim nằm ngửa

Eye-of-the-Needle Pose (Reclining Figure Four) mainly works tibialis anterior (right), biceps brachii; it stretches piriformis (right), deep hip rotators (right), gluteus maximus, gluteus medius (right).

3D anatomy model of Eye-of-the-Needle Pose (Reclining Figure Four): working muscles in red, stretching in blue, stabilizing in yellow

Opening the 3D model…

Lie on your back with the knees bent and the feet on the floor. Cross the outer ankle of one leg over the other thigh, just above the knee, letting the crossed knee open out into a figure four. Lift the bottom foot off the floor, thread your hands through the gap between the legs, clasp them behind the bottom thigh and gently draw that thigh toward the chest. The head, shoulders and sacrum stay on the floor. A gentle restorative pose: the buttock and deep hip rotators of the crossed leg lengthen.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Tibialis anterior (right), Biceps brachii

Stretching: Piriformis (right), Deep hip rotators (right), Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius (right), Gluteus minimus (right)

Why these muscles work or stretch

Tibialis anterior · Working (contracting): Flexes the crossed foot
Biceps brachii · Working (contracting): Gently draws the thigh toward the chest
Piriformis · Stretching: Main stretch, in the buttock of the crossed leg
Gluteus maximus · Stretching: The crossed-leg hip flexes and rotates outward

Practice cues

Flex the crossed foot to protect the knee
Keep the sacrum and shoulders on the floor; don't lift the head
Draw the thigh in only until you feel the stretch in the buttock; loop a strap behind the thigh or keep the bottom foot on the floor if the hands don't reach

Benefits

Gently stretches the glutes and deep hip rotators, including the piriformis
May ease tightness in the hips after long sitting or running
The floor supports the back, so it is accessible and good for winding down

Cautions / contraindications

Use caution with knee pain; flex the crossed foot and don't force the knee open
Use caution with hip pain or a hip replacement; follow your doctor's advice
After the first trimester, avoid lying on the back for long; try it seated on a chair

Easier variations

Keep the bottom foot on the floor, or place it on a wall
Loop a strap behind the bottom thigh if the hands don't reach

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

Written and reviewed by Yoga An Viên center · Updated 18/10/2026

How to practice this pose (YogaWay, in Vietnamese)

Related poses

Fire Log Pose (Double Pigeon) Agnistambhasana
One-Legged Chair Pose (Figure Four) Eka Pada Utkatasana
Knees-to-Chest Pose Apanasana
One-Legged Wind-Relieving Pose Eka Pada Pavanamuktasana
Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose Supta Padangusthasana
Happy Baby Pose Ananda Balasana

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)