Baddha Konasana – Bound Angle Pose

Names

Baddha Konasana, Bound Angle Pose, Cobbler's Pose

How to perform Baddha Konasana

Sit in Dandasana with your legs stretched out in front of you and your back straight. Bend your knees with exhalation and bring the soles of your feet together. Pull them as close to your perineum as possible.
Slowly let your knees fall further down until your legs are nearly horizontal and parallel to the floor. Sit comfortably with thus opened hips and let your perineum be in direct contact with the ground.

Advanced Variation of Baddha Konasana

If you are relaxed in this position and would like to continue to further advanced practice, you can bend forward with a straight back and place your chin on the floor.

From Baddha Konasana you can go into Gorakshasana or into Titali Asana.

Benefits of Baddha Konasana

Along with Sarvangasana, Baddha Konasana is one of the most recommended postures for women. It especially good for women during pregnancy and after giving birth. This yoga pose moves your pelvic region, rotates your hips, stretches your hip muscles and leg muscles and thus increases flexibility and elasticity. This flexibility alleviates labour and labour pain.
Regular practice of Baddha Konasana also helps in case of irregular menstruation. Menopause problems can be relieved, too.
Of course this flexibility for hips and groins is not only good for women! It even reduces the risk of hernia.
Practice of this yoga pose prevents and cures lower back pain and sciatica pain as well as it strengthens the thigh muscles. It can be good in cases of slip disk and sacrum displacement but please consult with your doctor before whether you are fit to do this exercise.
Bladder and kidneys are stimulated in this yoga pose which helps prevent urinary tract problems, slow urination and burning while urinating.
It is an anti-stress pose that relaxes your system and thus can cure anxiety, fatigue and depression. It is also said to have good effects on the heart and lungs. High blood pressure and asthma problems shall be reduced by practice of this pose, too.
Through the work in your entire pelvic region, you stimulate your second chakra and thus bring the Swadhishthan Chakra energy into the complete body.

Focus Points

Relax your hip joints and focus on bringing your legs further down rather than bringing your knees down.

Tips and Help

You can take a blanket under your buttocks to raise your sacrum. This will give you comfort in this sitting position. Especially in the west, where people are not use to sitting on the floor, many people will find it easier to use a blanket to sit on.
Do not press your knees down with your hands. If you want to stretch even more, you can press down your thighs instead.