Lower back, upper back and shoulders

Sphinx: Low Forearms Forward

Forearms placed further forward create a gentler extension angle, making spinal opening more accessible while still providing meaningful relief and mobility.

How to do it

1. 1

   Lie face down with your legs long

   Tops of the feet down, forehead resting, shoulders relaxed before you begin.

2. 2

   Place your forearms further forward than usual

   Set the elbows ahead of your shoulders rather than beneath them, palms down. The further forward they go, the lower and gentler the curve becomes.

3. 3

   Lift only as much as that position gives you

   Press down lightly and let the chest come to whatever height the forearms allow. There is no pushing back into a bigger shape here.

4. 4

   Keep the hips heavy and the neck long

   The whole front of the pelvis stays in contact with the floor and the head stays in line with the spine.

5. 5

   Stay for 30 seconds to 2 minutes

   Slide the forearms even further forward at any point to soften it further, or add a blanket under the ribs, or come out early.

What to watch for

The elbows creeping back under the shoulders during the stay, which quietly turns this into the full version. Check where your elbows are halfway through and slide them forward again.

Ways to adjust it

• Reduce depth or use a simpler variation

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Sphinx: Supported

Other ways to do this movement

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

• Sphinx: Classic
• Sphinx: Supported

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.