Dragon

Hold Time

3-5 minutes

Benefits

• Deep hip and groin opener for bent leg
• Stretches the quadricep of the straight leg
• Stretches hip flexors of the straight leg

Entering and Exiting

Enter: Come to Tabletop or Down Dog. Step your right foot between your hands with your knee directly above your heel. Slide your left knee back as far as you can. Keep your hands on the mat and continue dropping into the pose.

Exit: Slowly push yourself back up, tuck your back toes and lift your left knee off the mat. Slowly come back to Tabletop or Down Dog before switching sides.

Modifications

• Come to resting on your forearms or even your chest
• Turn the toes of your bent knee out, and gently push your knee out to the side to feel a stretch in your inner thigh
• Similar to above, instead of having your foot flat on the ground, roll onto the outer edge of your foot to deepen the stretch in your inner thigh
• Keep your back knee lifted instead of resting it on your mat
• Support back knee with blanket or doubled over yoga mat

Contraindications

• Can be uncomfortable for your kneecap; use a blanket for support

Counter Poses

• Dragon other side
• Deer
• Child's Pose
• A brief Down Dog