Thread the Needle Pose
Step 1
Begin on all fours.
Step 2
Reach your right arm underneath your body, to the left.
Step 3
Release your right shoulder and right temple to the ground. Your hips will sink back a bit toward your heels.
Step 4
Allow your left hand to stay where it is, or crawl it a bit to the right on the ground over to your head. Breathe here for at least three deep breaths, then repeat on the other side.
read more
Progressions & Variations
Tips
Not recommended for those with knee, shoulder, or neck maladies.
Benefits
Helps open your shoulders, neck, and back. Also thought to stimulate digestion.
Modifications
If you want to deepen the pose, bend the elbow of your lifted arm and take a half bind at the top of the opposite thigh.
Related Exercises
-
Inverted Hamstring Stretch
Strength, Flexibility | Intermediate -
Lying Glute Stretch
Flexibility | Beginner -
Shoulder Press Pose
Strength, Power | Advanced -
Twisted Plow Pose
Mobility, Flexibility | Intermediate -
Wrist Extension Stretch
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner -
Roll Over
Strength, Flexibility | Advanced -
Lying IT Band Stretch
Flexibility | Beginner -
Shoulder Stand Pose
Mobility, Flexibility | Intermediate
-
Supine Spinal Twist Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Beginner -
Ankle to Knee Pose
Flexibility | Beginner -
Lower Back Foam Roll
Mobility, Strength | Beginner -
Knees Chest Chin Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Beginner -
Bound Angle Pose
Flexibility | Beginner -
Standing Revolved Hand to Foot Pose
Strength, Flexibility | Intermediate -
Up Dog Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Intermediate -
Standing Wide-Leg Forward Bend with Twist Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Beginner
-
Frog Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Advanced -
Low Lunge Twist Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Beginner -
Head to Knee Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Beginner -
Shoulder Circles
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner -
Neck Rotations
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner -
Lunge with Diagonal Reach
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner -
Bound Seated Single-Leg Forward Bend Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Intermediate -
Elbow-to-Foot Lunge
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner
-
Standing Single Leg Forward Bend Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Beginner -
Goddess Pose
Strength, Power | Intermediate -
Quad Foam Roll
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner -
Revolved Head to Knee Pose
Flexibility, Mobility | Intermediate -
Sumo Squat to Stand
Mobility, Flexibility | Beginner -
Abdominal Leg Rotations
Strength, Flexibility | Intermediate -
Assisted Calf Stretch
Flexibility | Beginner -
Two-arm Doorway Stretch
Flexibility | Beginner
![image beacon](https://web.vortex.data.msn.com/collect/v1/t.gif?name=%27Ms.Webi.PageView%27&ver=%272.1%27&appId=%27JS%3AMSN%27&ext-app-env=%27prod%27&ext-javascript-libver=%274.0.0-beta-10%27&ext-user-localId=%27t%3A3696E532D421666402DBEADED5336756%27&*baseType=%27Ms.Content.PageView%27&*isJs=False&*title=%27%27&*isLoggedIn=False&*isManual=True&*serverImpressionGuid=%27fb8494f1-bb7e-4d4b-ad71-b8722f09b1f5%27&-ver=%271.0%27&-impressionGuid=%27fb8494f1-bb7e-4d4b-ad71-b8722f09b1f5%27&-pageName=%27exercisedetails%27&-uri=%27https%253A%252F%252Fwww.msn.com%252Fen-us%252FHealth%252Fexercise%252Fyoga%252Fthread-the-needle-pose%252Fss-BBtOcRJ%27&-referrerUri=%27%27&-pageTags=%27{"pg.t"%3A"data"%2C"pg.p"%3A"prime"%2C"pg.c"%3A""%2C"ex"%3A""%2C"rid"%3A"fb8494f1bb7e4d4bad71b8722f09b1f5"%2C"clid"%3A"3696E532D421666402DBEADED5336756"%2C"clidType"%3A"muid"%2C"di"%3A"378"%2C"partner"%3A"AMI"%2C"publcat"%3A"American%2BMedia%2BInc."%2C"cvs"%3A"Browser"%2C"subcvs"%3A"lifestyle"%2C"entityId"%3A"BBtOcRJ"%2C"entitySrc"%3A"ss"%2C"provid"%3A"AA4WzBe"%2C"dpt"%3A"exercise"%2C"sdpt"%3A"yoga"%2C"ar"%3A"0"%2C"dgk"%3A"downlevel.pc"%2C"imd"%3A"0"%2C"parentId"%3A""%2C"pgIdx"%3A""%2C"pgTot"%3A""%2C"anoncknm"%3A""%2C"afd"%3A""%2C"issso"%3A"0"%2C"aadState"%3A"0"}%27&-behavior=0&-market=%27en-us%27){kind=small}