Strengthen your back with pigeon pose

Each one of us has experienced a bad back ache at least once. There are a number of causes for back pain – from serious back injuries, slip and herniated disks, sciatica, etc. to the more run of the mill slouching, poor posture and regular wear and tear. What ever the reason for the backache, the verdict is always the same: it’s painful and it interferes with our daily chores.

Yoga is said to be very helpful in dealing with back pains. Yoga is a holistic discipline that Originated in India over thousands of years ago. It is very effective in restoring optimal physical, mental and emotional health through a series of postures, breathing and meditative techniques.

Yoga can provide much needed relief against back pain; it also helps strengthen the back, and eliminate the problem. For this, it is essential to first get a proper diagnosis for your back pain. Once you know the problem, find a certified and licensed yoga instructor. Do not attempt unfamiliar postures without the guidance of a Yoga instructor as you might aggravate your back ache.

There are several postures that help strengthen the back. One such yoga posture is the pigeon pose.

The pigeon pose is an important yoga posture, and it is simple to perform:

  • Get on your knees.

  • Bring your right knee forward. Bend it and swing it sideways so that the leg is bent across the front of your body.

  • Make sure your right knee is facing your right side, while your right foot is facing your left side.

  • Stretch your left leg as far back as you can.

  • Square your hips towards the floor with your hands placed by your side, on the floor.

  • Follow the breathing techniques along with each movement.


The pigeon pose is very effective in releasing locked tension from the body, especially the lower back and hip region. As you can see, the pose stretches the muscles in the legs, thighs, groin and back. It opens up the hip and elongates and firms the back.

The pigeon pose helps correct body posture and alignment. As we grow, we tend to adopt a sloppy posture and lose our alignment. This puts pressure on our lower back as well as our other organs. It results in a locking of negative energy in the back, leading to constant aches and pains.

As the lower back and hip get locked, they also loose their flexibility. By performing the pigeon pose regularly, you can strengthen your back and regain the full range of motion for your back.

The pigeon pose is also very effective in the case of sciatica. Sciatica is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve and other nerve roots. It manifests as severe lower back pain, muscular weakness. Regularly practicing the pigeon pose however can help solve this problem.

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