Half Frog Pose

How to Say Ardha Bhekasana in Sanskrit

Ardha Bhekasana

Half Frog Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Begin in Sphinx Pose, pressing down with all ten toenails, spinning your inner thighs to the ceiling, and firming your outer ankles into your midline.
2. Keeping your left elbow in front of your left shoulder, move your hand so your fingers point toward your right wrist and your forearm is at a diagonal.
3. Press down with your left forearm to roll your left shoulder back and up away from the floor.
4. Extend your sternum away from your navel, and broaden your collarbones to lift and open your chest.
5. Place your right hand next to your lower ribs with your fingers pointing forward and your shoulder at elbow height as in Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose).
6. Bend your right knee, aiming your foot toward your right buttock; keep your right knee pinned into your midline. 
7. Keeping the Chaturanga shape, place your right hand on the top of your right foot with your fingers still pointing forward. 
8. Gently press down with your right hand while moving your right heel to the outside of your buttock. 
9. To deepen the stretch in your quadriceps, descend your tailbone and lift your right knee any amount.
10. Continue to lift your chest and pin your left shoulder back and up. 
11. Hold for 5–10 breaths, then release. Repeat on the other side.

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Half Frog Pose Cues

Contraindications and Cautions of Tree Pose

• Avoid or modify if you have any knee pain, knee injuries (particularly knee ligament injuries), knee arthritis, knee replacement, or other knee limitations.
• Transition slowly in and out of the pose

Benefits of Half Frog

• Stretches the front of thighs (quadriceps) and ankles
• Gently strengthens your back to support the pose shape

3 Ways to Modify Half Frog

1. Half frog with strap

If it is hard to reach your foot, use a looped strap to extend your reach

2. Half Frog in chair

Try getting a similar stretch seated in a chair 

Start in a lunge in the chair

Place the block or bolster down for the knee to rest on

Use the strap to extend your reach

Stay several breaths and slowly transition into the other side

3. Quadriceps Stretch at the Wall

Try a standing version to get a similar stretch

Hold onto the wall and grab one foot, with the knee facing downward to target stretching he front of your thigh (quadriceps)

If you cannot reach your foot, use a strap to extend your reach

You can also go into dancer pose from here by leaning forward and kicking your back leg up

Stay several breaths and repeat on the other side 

Preparatory Poses

• Bhujangasana
• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
• Supta Virasana
• Virasana

Follow-up Poses

• Adho Mukha Svanasana
• Garudasana (arms only)

More Pose Detail

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