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Exercise guide
Cow Face Pose
A seated pose with the knees stacked and the arms clasped behind the back, stretching the outer hips on one side and the shoulders in opposite directions.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- gluteus maximus · gluteus medius · posterior deltoid · triceps brachii
- Goals
- mobility
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Category
- Stretching
- Difficulty
- beginner
Demonstration
Step 1
How to perform the movement
- Sit on the floor and cross one knee directly over the other so the knees stack in the midline.
- Walk the feet out towards the hips and settle both sit bones evenly on the floor.
- Reach the arm on the top-knee side up and bend it behind the head, then reach the other arm up the back to clasp.
- Hold the position for the prescribed time, keeping the chest open and the spine tall.
- Release and repeat with the other leg and arm on top.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Sit on a folded blanket if one sit bone lifts off the floor.
- Hold a strap between the hands when the fingers do not meet; forcing the clasp rounds the back.
- Keep the top elbow pointing up rather than letting it drift out to the side.