The Sanctuary

Seated · Beginner

Head-to-Knee Pose

Janu Sirsasana·जानुशीर्षासन·jānuśīrṣāsana

Also called: Head-to-Knee Forward Bend

Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana) demonstrated

Janu Sirsasana is Paschimottanasana's gentler cousin — the asymmetry lets each leg work at its own pace. Useful for users who find both-legs-extended forward folds inaccessible. The bent-leg side often opens faster than the extended-leg side, surprising users who assumed the reverse.

Benefits

  • Asymmetric stretch isolates one hamstring at a time — easier to track tightness differences
  • Combines hip opening (bent leg) with hamstring release (extended leg)
  • Calms the nervous system through forward fold geometry
  • Less demanding than Paschimottanasana for users with tight hamstrings

How to practise Head-to-Knee Pose

  1. Sit on a folded blanket with both legs extended in front of you.
  2. Bend the right knee and place the right sole against the inner left thigh.
  3. The right knee opens out to the side toward the floor. Place a block under it if it floats high.
  4. Square your shoulders toward the extended left leg.
  5. Inhale and lengthen the spine tall.
  6. Exhale and hinge forward over the left leg. Hold the shin, ankle, or foot — wherever your back stays long.
  7. Bend the extended knee if needed. Switch sides.

Suggested hold: 60s · Breath: Paced

How Head-to-Knee Pose affects your doshas

In Ayurveda the same pose lands differently depending on your constitution. This is the lens the app uses to sequence your practice.

Effect of Head-to-Knee Pose on each dosha
DoshaEffectNotes
Vata Balancing a good fit — helps settle this dosha
Pitta Balancing a good fit — helps settle this dosha
Kapha Neutral broadly neutral

Body focus: Hamstrings, Hips, Lower Back, Spine

Who should avoid or modify this pose

  • Pregnant women shouldn't fold deeply — practice with the open leg straight only and a long spine
  • Don't practice with herniated disc or severe lower-back injury
  • Skip with knee injury in the bent leg
  • Avoid with severe sciatica

If you're pregnant, injured, or managing a condition, check with a qualified teacher or clinician before practising.

Modifications

  • Sit on a folded blanket to elevate the hips
  • Bend the extended knee generously to keep the spine long
  • Use a strap around the extended foot if the hands don't reach
  • Place a bolster on the extended leg to rest the chest down (restorative variant)

Traditional source: Modern hatha — Modern hatha. "Jānu" = knee, "śīrṣa" = head. Not in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika Ch. 1.

Related poses