Lower back, hips and knees

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.

How to do it

1. 1

   Lie on your back with both feet on the wall

   Shuffle in until your knees are at roughly a right angle and your feet are flat and stable on the wall.

2. 2

   Cross the top ankle over your other thigh

   Rest the ankle just above the knee of the leg still on the wall, and let the crossed knee open out.

3. 3

   Rest your arms on the floor and do nothing else

   The wall holds the angle for you, so there is no arm work at all. That is what makes this one comfortable to stay in for a long time.

4. 4

   Set the intensity by your distance from the wall

   Shuffle further away for less, closer for more. Get it right before you settle, then leave it alone.

5. 5

   Stay for 1 to 3 minutes on each side

   Slide the crossed leg down, put both feet back on the wall, and change over.

What to watch for

Shuffling in so close that the hips fold up sharply, or the supporting foot creeping down the wall mid hold. Set the distance first, check the foot is flat and stable, then stay put.

Ways to adjust it

• Adjust distance from wall
• Flex foot

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Pigeon Pose versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Reclined Figure-4: Classic
• Reclined Figure-4: Seated Chair

Before you try it

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.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.