Pose library · Supta Vajrasana
Saddle Pose (Supta Vajrasana)
Saddle is the Yin yoga name for a reclined kneeling backbend. The closest active pose is Supta Vajrasana, where supta means reclined and vajra means thunderbolt. You kneel, sit back between or on the heels, and lean back onto a support so the front of the thighs and hips can stretch.
Saddle Pose is the Yin yoga name for a reclined kneeling backbend, close to Supta Vajrasana, that stretches the fronts of the thighs and hips. Sit on or between the heels, lean back onto the hands, forearms and a bolster, and stay one to three minutes. A thigh stretch is fine; knee pain means come out.
Pronunciation and meaning
Supta Vajrasana: SOOP-tuh vuj-RAHS-uh-nuh. Supta stresses the first syllable, and Vajrasana stresses RAHS.
Saddle is the Yin yoga name for a reclined kneeling backbend. The closest active pose is Supta Vajrasana, where supta means reclined and vajra means thunderbolt. You kneel, sit back between or on the heels, and lean back onto a support so the front of the thighs and hips can stretch.
How to do Saddle Pose
- Kneel on a folded blanket and sit back on your heels, or on a block between the heels if the knees prefer. Place a bolster or stacked pillows lengthwise behind you.
- Lean back onto your hands, then onto your forearms, checking the knees and lower back as you go.
- If both feel fine, lie back onto the bolster so your back and head are supported. Stay propped higher if you need to.
- Let the arms rest by your sides or overhead. Relax the muscles and breathe slowly into the belly.
- Stay for one to three minutes to begin, building to five minutes in a Yin class if the knees and back stay comfortable.
- To come out, press onto the forearms and hands and rise slowly, then lift the hips and stretch the legs out one at a time. Rest on your back or belly for a few breaths.
Saddle Pose step by step
Drawings and video by YogaPhilippines.com, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with credit and a link: see the image licence for how to credit.
Saddle Pose appears in the 90-minute Bikram 26 poses, which is printable with holds and cues. For other poses that work the quads, open the pose finder set to the quads.
Make it easier
- Do the half version: stretch one leg out in front and fold only the other leg back.
- Sit on a block or two between the heels so the knees bend less.
- Stay upright on the hands and forearms instead of lying back.
Pregnancy and after birth
Pregnancy. Adapt. Sit upright on blocks rather than reclining, keep the stretch mild because joints loosen in pregnancy, and avoid lying flat on the back later in pregnancy. Check with your OB or midwife.
After birth. Adapt. After your doctor or midwife has cleared you, use the half version with plenty of height under the back. Skip it if you feel pulling across the belly or a caesarean scar.
Expecting? Joahnna Lee Yoga has notes on adapting each trimester.
Common mistakes
- Pushing into the pose with knee pain. A stretch at the front of the thigh is fine; pain in the knee joint is not.
- Letting the knees splay wide to go lower, which twists the knees.
- Coming out quickly, which can feel sharp in the lower back after a long hold.
Saddle Pose is a long, quiet backbend from the Yin yoga style. It stretches the front of the thighs, the front of the hips and the belly, and it gently arches the lower back. The name comes from the shape of the lower back, which curves like a saddle.
It is usually held for minutes with the muscles relaxed and the body supported. A bolster or a few pillows are part of the pose. If you want to explore it with a teacher, Yin yoga sessions with Joahnna Lee take the time to set up each prop.
How is saddle pose different from hero pose?
Hero Pose is the upright seat. Saddle is the reclined version, held in the Yin way, with soft muscles and support under the back. The shorter, more active hatha version of the same shape is Reclined Hero Pose, Supta Virasana. If kneeling is hard, start with Thunderbolt Pose and stay upright.
What is the counterpose to saddle pose?
A gentle forward fold balances the backbend. Caterpillar Pose, the Yin seated fold, is the usual choice, and the lower back stretches give some useful options too.
Prep poses for Saddle Pose
Poses that warm up the same body areas at a lower intensity, so Saddle Pose feels steadier when you get there.
- Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana) a direct preparation, beginner
- Hero Pose (Virasana) a direct preparation, beginner plus
- Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) gentler work for the same area, beginner plus
- Dancer Pose (Natarajasana) gentler work for the same area, intermediate
Counter-poses for Saddle Pose
Shapes that move the body the other way or let it rest straight after Saddle Pose.
- Balasana (Child's Pose) beginner
Props that help in Saddle Pose
- Bolster: supports the body so you can stay longer with less effort.
- Block: goes under the sacrum, the head or a knee for support.
- Blanket: supports the head or the back so the neck stays relaxed.
Programs and sessions that use Saddle Pose
- Sequences: Bikram sequence
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety; NHS, Knee pain. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
Saddle Pose questions
Is saddle pose bad for your knees?
It can be if the knees are already sore or the pose is forced. Sit on a block, use the half version, and come out at any pain inside the knee. With a knee injury, skip it and see a doctor or physio.
How long do you hold saddle pose?
One to three minutes is a good start. In a Yin class it may be held up to five minutes, but only if the knees and lower back stay comfortable.
What comes after saddle pose in a Yin class?
Come out slowly, stretch the legs out, and rest on your back or belly. A gentle forward fold such as Caterpillar is a common counterpose in Yin.
What is Saddle Pose good for?
Saddle Pose stretches the fronts of the thighs, the front of the hips and the belly, and gently arches the lower back. In a Yin class it is a long, quiet hold with the body supported on a bolster, so many people find it a calm way to open the front of the body after a day of sitting.
Why is Saddle Pose so hard?
It asks for a lot at once: deep knee bending, a strong stretch through the fronts of the thighs and hips, and an arch in the lower back. If any of those is stiff, lying back feels intense. Sit on a block, stay up on the forearms or try the half version with one leg out.
What is the difference between Supta Vajrasana and Supta Virasana?
Both recline from a kneeling seat. In Supta Vajrasana you sit on or close to the heels, as in Thunderbolt Pose, before leaning back. In Supta Virasana, Reclined Hero, you sit between the feet on a block. Saddle Pose is the Yin version of this family, held for minutes with the muscles relaxed.
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