Two-Legged Sage Koundinya Pose anatomy

Two-Legged Sage Koundinya Pose · Dvi Pada Koundinyasana · Tư thế hiền triết Koundinya hai chân

Two-Legged Sage Koundinya Pose mainly works triceps brachii, brachialis, pectoralis major, deltoid; it stretches external oblique (right), internal oblique (left), hamstrings; rotator cuff stabilize.

Opening the 3D model…

Come into Side Crow twisting to the right: from a squat with the knees together, twist to the right, place both hands on the floor to the right, shoulder-width apart, and bend the elbows as in Four-Limbed Staff Pose so the outer right thigh rests on the left upper arm. Shift your weight forward, lift both feet, then straighten both legs out to the side, away from the hands, legs together and close to parallel with the floor, feet flexed. The trunk stays nearly parallel to the floor, chest reaching forward, shoulders no lower than the elbows. The triceps, chest, obliques, hip flexors and adductors work hard while the hamstrings stretch lightly. This is an advanced pose: build a steady Side Crow first, learn it with a teacher and keep a blanket in front of you.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Triceps brachii, Brachialis, Pectoralis major, Deltoid, Serratus anterior, Wrist flexors, External oblique (left), Internal oblique (right), Multifidus (left), Rectus abdominis, Transversus abdominis, Iliopsoas, Adductors, Quadriceps, Erector spinae

Stretching: External oblique (right), Internal oblique (left), Hamstrings

Stabilizing: Rotator cuff

Why these muscles work or stretch

• Triceps brachii · Working (contracting): Holds the bent elbows under body weight
• Brachialis · Working (contracting): Holds the elbows bent as the shelf for the thigh
• Pectoralis major · Working (contracting): Supports the torso and keeps the elbows close to the body
• Deltoid · Working (contracting): Mainly the front (anterior) fibers
• Serratus anterior · Working (contracting): Pushes the floor away, keeping the shoulder blades against the ribs
• Wrist flexors · Working (contracting): The wrist is bent back and stretched, but in an arm balance this group actively presses the fingertips to keep balance
• External oblique · Working (contracting): The opposite-side external oblique and same-side internal oblique turn the chest toward the twist
• Multifidus · Working (contracting): Multifidus rotates the vertebrae toward the opposite side
• Iliopsoas · Working (contracting): Flexes the hips and holds both legs up
• Adductors · Working (contracting): Squeezes the legs together and presses the right thigh onto the left arm
• Quadriceps · Working (contracting): Straightens both knees
• Erector spinae · Working (contracting): Keeps the back long and the chest forward in the twist
• Hamstrings · Stretching: Gently stretched by hip flexion with straight knees

Practice cues

• Twist deeply from the waist before placing the hands, so the thigh sits high on the left arm
• Bend the elbows straight back, close to the body; reach the chest forward
• Squeeze the legs together, reach through the heels and keep them at hip height

Benefits

• May help build strength in the arms, wrists and shoulders
• Strengthens the obliques and trains trunk rotation
• Strengthens the hip flexors and adductors and trains balance

Cautions / contraindications

• Avoid with a wrist, elbow or shoulder injury
• Avoid during pregnancy, with a disc herniation or acute low back pain
• Advanced pose: learn with a teacher; keep a blanket in front of you

Easier variations

• Practice Side Crow with both knees bent and the legs stacked
• Straighten one leg at a time while the other stays bent

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

• Eight-Angle Pose Astavakrasana
• Sage Koundinya Pose I Eka Pada Koundinyasana I
• Side Crow Pose Parsva Bakasana
• Sage Koundinya Pose II Eka Pada Koundinyasana II
• One-Legged Crow Pose Eka Pada Bakasana
• Crow Pose Bakasana

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)