Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)

Pronunciation and meaning

Ardha Pincha Mayurasana: AR-duh PIN-chuh mah-yoo-RAHS-uh-nuh. Each word stresses its first syllable except Mayurasana, which stresses RAHS.

Ardha means half, pincha means feather, mayura means peacock and asana means posture, so the name is half feathered peacock, a step toward the forearm balance. In English it is Dolphin: a Downward-Facing Dog on the forearms, with the hips high and the head hanging.

How to do Dolphin Pose

1. Come onto hands and knees, then lower onto your forearms with the elbows under the shoulders and the forearms parallel, palms flat.
2. Tuck your toes, and on an exhale lift your hips up and back, keeping the knees bent at first.
3. Press firmly down through the forearms and the base of the index fingers, and lift the shoulders away from the floor so the neck stays free.
4. Let the head hang between the upper arms without resting it on the floor. Lengthen the spine by lifting the sitting bones.
5. Straighten the legs only as far as the back stays long. Stay for five to eight breaths.
6. Lower the knees to the floor on an exhale and rest in Child's Pose.

Make it easier

• Keep the knees bent the whole time so the back can stay long.
• Clasp the hands together instead of keeping the forearms parallel, which many people find easier on the shoulders.
• Place a block between the hands, held by the thumbs and index fingers, to stop the elbows sliding apart.

Pregnancy and after birth

Pregnancy. Adapt. Short holds may feel fine early on if you already practise it, but the head is below the heart, so many people switch to Puppy Pose or Downward-Facing Dog with hands on a chair. Check with your OB or midwife.

After birth. Adapt. After your doctor or midwife has cleared you, start with short holds and bent knees, and come down if you feel pressure in the head or the pelvic floor.

Prenatal and postpartum guides live on joahnnalee.com.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows slide out wider than the shoulders.
• Sinking the chest toward the floor so the shoulders collapse.
• Forcing the legs straight while the back rounds.

Dolphin Pose is a mild inversion that looks like Downward-Facing Dog on the forearms. It is often taught as preparation for forearm balances and headstand, because it builds strength in the shoulders and upper back.

It is also a good pose in its own right, especially for anyone who wants strong shoulders without going upside down. Bent knees are fine for the whole hold.

How does dolphin pose prepare you for inversions?

It trains the shoulders to lift away from the floor while the forearms press down, which is the same action you need in Headstand and forearm stand. Walking the feet in toward the elbows is a classic drill on the way up.

How is it different from downward dog?

In Downward-Facing Dog the hands carry the weight and the arms are straight. Dolphin moves the weight onto the forearms, which is easier on the wrists but harder on the shoulders. Puppy Pose, the kneeling chest stretch, is a gentle partner, and the shoulder stretches routine helps between sessions.