7 Prone Yoga Poses – Lying on the Abdomen

Prone yoga poses are yoga postures that are performed while lying on your stomach. They typically involve extending and stretching the front of your body while engaging the muscles of your back. Prone poses can help strengthen the back, open the chest, improve posture, and increase flexibility in the spine.

Before starting any prone poses, warm up your body with a few gentle movements and stretches. Focus on maintaining proper alignment throughout the poses. Keep your shoulders away from your ears, elongate your spine, and engage your core muscles to support your lower back. Avoid excessive compression or tension in the neck and lower back.

If you’re new to prone poses or have limited flexibility, start with simpler variations and gradually work your way up to more advanced poses.

Here are a few examples of prone yoga poses:

List of Prone Yoga Poses

Below we have listed 7 prone postures of yoga. Read each pose carefully to find out step-by-step instructions, benefits, and precautions.

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Dhanurasana stretches the front of the body, strengthens the back muscles, and stimulates the digestive system.

To do Dhanurasana, first, lie down on your stomach.
Bending the knees, bring them near the waist, and hold both ankles with your hands.
Now lift your head, chest, and thigh upwards.
Try to take the weight of your body on the lower abdomen.
Try to pull the body forward by holding the feet.
Do this posture for about 15-20 seconds according to your capacity.

You should avoid practicing this asana if you are recovering from a hernia, high or low blood pressure, lower back pain, migraine, headache, neck injury or recent abdominal surgery.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Bhujangasana helps strengthen the back muscles, enhance flexibility, decrease the stiffness of the lower back, and opens the chest.

lie on your stomach
Keep the legs straight and open and place the palms near the chest in line with the shoulders. Keep the body in a comfortable state.
Now join your feet together and extend your arms straight in front of you. Keep the forehead on the ground.
Pull the hands back towards the chest and place the palms on the ground near the chest.
Taking a deep breath, raise your upper body upwards. Your elbow should be in a straight line with the body during this.
Stretch the legs in such a way that you do not feel much stretch. Raise the head upwards as much as possible.
Stay in this position for 15-30 seconds.

This asana should not be practiced in case of hernia, back injury, headache and abdominal surgery or injury.

Makarasana (Crocodile Pose)

Makarasana is a wonderful pose to practice for stress relief, calming the nervous system, and promoting deep relaxation. It is particularly beneficial for relieving tension in the back, neck, and shoulders.

Lie down on your back by spreading a seat on the ground.
Spread both hands equal to the shoulders.
Raise the legs up by raising the palms up and making an angle of 450 with one hand down.
Now move the feet to the right. Stretch both hands.
Exhale while inhaling.
Then turn the legs to the left and turn the neck to the right.

Do not practice Makarasana in the condition of severe pain in the neck, head or back.

Sarpasana

Sarpasana is a gentle backbend that can be incorporated into your yoga practice to improve posture, relieve tension in the chest and shoulders, and promote a sense of openness and energy in the front body.

Lie on your stomach; Your legs should be straight, and your feet should be together.
Keep your chin on the floor. After this, interlace the fingers and place your hands on your buttocks. This is the starting position of the snake pose.
Next, use your lower back muscles to lift your chest off the floor as far as possible.
Push your hands back and try to raise your arms as high as possible. Imagine someone is pulling your arms from behind.
Try to raise your body as high as possible without straining.
Next, squeeze your shoulder blades together and look straight ahead. Maintain this position as long as it is comfortable.

People with hypertension (high blood pressure) and other heart disorders should avoid doing this pose. You should avoid practicing this pose if you have vertebral and disc conditions.

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)

This prone yoga posture strengthens the back muscles, tones the glutes, and stretches the front of the body. It can be practiced on its own or as part of a sequence.

To do Shalabhasana, first of all, lie down on your stomach.
Keep both your legs straight and keep your toes straight and upwards.
Straighten both hands and press them under the thighs i.e. press your right hand under the right thigh and your left hand under the left thigh.
Keep the head and mouth straight.
Take a deep breath inward.
Try to lift both legs upwards, and raise the legs as much as possible to your maximum height.

This asana should not be done in the condition of high blood pressure. A person suffering from heart disease should avoid the practice of this asana.

Advasana (Reverse Corpse Pose)

Advasana is a pose of deep relaxation and surrender. It allows the body and mind to rest and rejuvenate, promoting a sense of calm and well-being. It is especially beneficial for reducing stress, releasing tension, and aiding in relaxation.

Start by lying flat on your stomach on a yoga mat or comfortable surface.
Extend your legs straight back, hip-width apart, and relax your feet.
Allow your arms to rest alongside your body, palms facing up.

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)

Upward-Facing Dog Pose, is a backbend pose commonly practiced in yoga. It stretches and strengthens the upper body, opens the chest, and improves spinal flexibility. It is often incorporated into sun salutations or vinyasa flow sequences.

Start by lying flat on your stomach.
Place your palms on the mat, slightly in front of your shoulders, with your fingers pointing forward.
Press your palms firmly into the mat and engage your arm muscles.
Inhale and lift your chest off the mat, straightening your arms. Keep your elbows close to your body.
Lift your head gently and direct your gaze forward or slightly upward.
Engage your leg muscles by pressing the tops of your feet firmly into the mat.
Breathe deeply and hold the pose for 15 to 30 seconds, or as long as feels comfortable for you.

If you have any kind of problem with your wrist, then be careful while doing this asana, otherwise, the situation can become serious.

Conclusion

These are just a few examples of prone poses that may be included in a yoga class. The specific poses practiced will vary depending on the style of yoga being taught and the instructor’s sequencing preferences.

7 Prone Yoga Poses – Lying on the Abdomen