Hips and glutes
5 Pigeon Pose variations, from gentlest to strongest
Also called pigeon stretch, eka pada rajakapotasana, figure 4 stretch.
The library's strongest position for the outside and deep back of the hip. The versions differ in what is under the front hip and whether you stay upright or fold, and both change how much the lower back takes.
Start here
The list runs from the most supported version to the most demanding. Reclined Figure-4: Seated Chair is the one to begin with. Start lying down with the reclined figure 4. You get the same hip stretch with none of the load through the front knee, and you can control exactly how much you take. Work toward the upright shapes later, if at all.
Every version in the library
1 · Hip Mobility · 60 to 180 seconds
Reclined Figure-4: Seated Chair
The most accessible deep hip opener: simply crossing your ankle over your knee while seated requires no floor work and is gentle enough for almost everyone.
Make it work for you: Support under knee. Foot flexed
2 · Hip Mobility · 60 to 180 seconds
Reclined Figure-4: Foot on Wall
Your foot rests against the wall, creating a stable, effortless hip-opening stretch that requires no arm strength: perfect for long, restorative holds.
Make it work for you: Adjust distance from wall. Flex foot
3 · Hip Mobility · 60 to 180 seconds
Reclined Figure-4: Classic
A lying-down version that provides the same deep hip opening as pigeon without any kneeling or spinal demand: the preferred alternative for sensitive bodies.
Make it work for you: Strap. Block. Reduce hip flexion depth
4 · Hip Mobility · 60 to 180 seconds
Pigeon: Bolster Under Hip
A bolster under your front hip levels your pelvis on a soft, stable base, making this deep hip opener accessible while maintaining proper alignment.
Make it work for you: Reclined Figure-4. Foot flexed mandatory
5 · Hip Mobility · 60 to 180 seconds
Pigeon: Classic
A deep hip-opening stretch that targets the muscles around your outer hip and deep rotators, helping to release tension that often contributes to back and hip discomfort.
Make it work for you: Block under hip. Upright. Reclined Figure-4
Which version should I choose?
| Version | Support | Best if | Not this one if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reclined Figure-4: Classic | None | Almost everyone, and always if the knee is sensitive | You want a stronger stretch than it can give |
| Reclined Figure-4: Seated Chair | Chair | Getting to the floor is difficult | The chair is not stable |
| Pigeon: Bolster Under Hip | Bolster | The floor version tilts your pelvis | You no longer need the height |
| Pigeon: Classic | None | You have done this for years without knee trouble | You are new to it, start reclined |
Common questions
Why does pigeon hurt my knee?
Because the front knee ends up in a rotated position with your weight on it, and the knee is injured by twisting forces, particularly as cartilage thins with age. Imaging of yoga related injuries found medial meniscus tears among the most frequent findings. Support the hip on a block or blanket so the shin can settle where it wants, and come out if anything is felt inside the knee.
Is pigeon good for sciatica?
Not reliably, and it can make some presentations worse. Where symptoms come from sciatic nerve entrapment in the deep gluteal space, they are worst when the nerve is under most tension and can be aggravated by prolonged forward bending, which is what a folded pigeon does. Gentle, controlled, low intensity movement is what is described as first line there.
What is the easier version?
The figure 4 on your back, and the seated chair figure 4, both listed above. They reach the same deep hip area with no weight through the front knee and nothing to get down to, which is why they suit most people better than the floor pose does.
How long should I hold it?
Long enough to let go, not long enough to endure. There is no held-duration figure in the sources for this position, and holding a stretch you are bracing against is not the same movement. If you are gripping to stay there, take the supported version.
When should I stop and see someone?
Sudden severe pain in the lower back or leg, sudden weakness or numbness, trouble lifting the foot off the floor, frequent trips or falls, or any loss of bladder or bowel control. Those are Cleveland Clinic's thresholds. For the knee: locking, giving way, swelling, or being unable to fully straighten it.
When to stop and ask someone
The front knee is the part to protect. Meniscus tears happen when the knee twists while the foot stays planted, and with age the cartilage thins so that less force is needed. Imaging of yoga related injuries found medial meniscus and hip labrum tears among the most frequent findings, and emergency department data show hip injuries make up a significantly larger share of yoga injuries in people aged 45 and over. Support the hip on a block or blanket so the shin can sit where it likes, and come out of it if anything is felt inside the knee rather than in the buttock.
If the sensation is nerve-like rather than muscular, this is the wrong position for now. Deep gluteal syndrome is sciatic nerve entrapment outside the spine, presenting as posterior hip pain with radiating symptoms and difficulty sitting for half an hour. Its symptoms are worst when the nerve is under most tension and can be aggravated by prolonged forward bending, which is exactly what a folded-forward pigeon does. First line care is described as activity modification plus gentle, controlled, low intensity movement.
Stop and speak to someone about sudden severe pain in the lower back or leg, sudden weakness or numbness, trouble lifting the foot off the floor, frequent trips or falls, or any loss of bladder or bowel control. Those are Cleveland Clinic's own thresholds for buttock and leg symptoms. A knee that locks, gives way, swells, or will not fully straighten needs looking at rather than stretching.
- Cleveland Clinic, torn meniscus, health library
States that meniscus tears happen when the knee twists while the foot stays planted, that with age the cartilage thins and tears more easily so that simple movements can be enough, and lists a knee that locks or gives way, swelling that does not settle, or inability to fully bend or straighten as reasons to contact a provider.
- Le Corroller et al., musculoskeletal injuries related to yoga, imaging observations, AJR American Journal of Roentgenology (2012)
A review of imaging in 38 patients with yoga related musculoskeletal injuries over nine years found the most frequent findings were tendon lesions and fibrocartilaginous tears, specifically including tears of the medial meniscus and of the hip labrum.
- Kizaki et al., deep gluteal syndrome is defined as a non-discogenic sciatic nerve disorder with entrapment in the deep gluteal space, a systematic review, KSSTA (2020)
Across 853 patients, defines deep gluteal syndrome as sciatic nerve entrapment outside the spine, typically presenting with posterior hip pain, radiating pain, and an inability to sit comfortably for 30 minutes.
- Geler Kulcu, deep gluteal syndrome, an underestimated cause of posterior hip pain, Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2024)
States that pain is worst when the sciatic nerve is under maximum tension, for example hip flexion combined with knee extension, that it is aggravated by prolonged sitting, and that first line care is activity modification plus gentle, controlled, low intensity range of motion work, warning that symptoms can be made worse by prolonged forward bending such as hamstring stretching.
- Cleveland Clinic, piriformis syndrome, health library
Describes aching, burning, numbness, tingling or shooting sensations in the buttock, hip or upper leg, worse with prolonged sitting, walking or stairs, and lists sudden severe pain, sudden weakness or numbness, trouble lifting the foot, frequent trips or falls, and loss of bladder or bowel control as reasons to contact a provider.
Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.
Every version above is drawn from the clinically authored Vinys library. This page is general movement information, not medical advice, and it is not a diagnosis. What helps for a specific condition.