Anatomy of Asana: Dhanurasana

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). Photography by Steward Noack, House of Indulgence Photography

Do the Quadriceps Stretch in Bow Pose?
A posture that frequently gets mentioned in class whenever I ask which postures would be a good stretch for the quadriceps is Dhanurasana, bow pose.  While a common misconception, bow pose simply does NOT present much of a stretch for the quadriceps muscles. At least not the vasti group of the quadriceps, which constitutes about 75% of the quadriceps muscle group. Why? Check out this short little video, which is meant as a follow-up to the quadriceps anatomy video we shared last week.

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Note: if terms of movement aren't super clear (e.g., flexion and extension of the knee), be sure to revisit our popular pose The Language of Movement!