Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose anatomy

Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose · Supta Padangusthasana · Tư thế nằm nắm ngón chân

Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose mainly works quadriceps, iliopsoas (right), tibialis anterior (left); it stretches hamstrings (right), gastrocnemius (right), gluteus maximus (right), iliopsoas (left); transversus abdominis, biceps brachii (right) stabilize.

3D anatomy model of Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose: working muscles in red, stretching in blue, stabilizing in yellow

Opening the 3D model…

Lie on your back and raise one leg straight up, holding the big toe with the same-side hand or looping a strap around the foot, with the other leg extended on the floor. The hamstrings of the raised leg stretch safely while the floor supports the back.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Quadriceps, Iliopsoas (right), Tibialis anterior (left)

Stretching: Hamstrings (right), Gastrocnemius (right), Gluteus maximus (right), Iliopsoas (left)

Stabilizing: Transversus abdominis, Biceps brachii (right)

Why these muscles work or stretch

Quadriceps · Working (contracting): Straightens the knee of the raised leg
Iliopsoas · Working (contracting): Holds the leg up
Tibialis anterior · Working (contracting): Flexes the foot, reaching through the heel
Hamstrings · Stretching: Main stretch
Iliopsoas · Stretching: The bottom hip is extended on the floor
Biceps brachii · Stabilizing: The hand holds the big toe or strap

Practice cues

Press the bottom thigh down and reach through the heel
Keep both hips level on the floor
Use a strap so the shoulders can relax on the floor

Benefits

Stretches the hamstrings and calf while the floor supports the back
Lengthens the front of the bottom hip as that thigh presses down
Builds pelvic awareness and prepares for forward folds

Cautions / contraindications

Take care with a hamstring injury; never pull into pain
Go gently with low back pain: bend the bottom knee, foot on the floor
After the first trimester of pregnancy, avoid lying on the back for long

Easier variations

Loop a strap around the sole so the shoulders stay relaxed on the floor
Bend the lifted knee slightly until the back of the thigh eases

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

Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Upavistha Konasana
Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
One-Legged Wind-Relieving Pose Eka Pada Pavanamuktasana
Half Splits Ardha Hanumanasana
Staff Pose Dandasana
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend Janu Sirsasana

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)