This pose is extremely beneficial for improving shoulder mobility and building strength in the core and upper body, as well as stretching your calves and hamstrings. Dolphin helps maintain shoulder health for people with sedentary jobs, and is useful for athletes to improve upper-body performance.
Dolphin Pose Target Areas
- shoulders
- upper back
- core
- Hamstrings
Dolphin Pose Benefits
- Builds shoulder and upper-back muscles
- Increases shoulder mobility
- Strengthens core
- Improves posture
– click images to enlarge –
How to Do Dolphin Pose
- Lie on your stomach, and place your forearms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, with palms facing down and elbows under your shoulders. Lift your hips and rise into a forearm plank with your toes tucked. Use your core to maintain a straight line from shoulders to hips.
- Walk your feet in toward your elbows, and lift your hips to form a pyramid shape. Reach your tailbone toward the ceiling, engage your quadriceps, and press your thighs up and away from shoulders to lengthen the spine. Relax your heels toward the floor. Squeeze elbows toward each other, keeping forearms parallel.
- Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen your spine, and exhaling as you deepen the hamstring stretch and increase shoulder and upper-back engagement.
Cues for Dolphin Pose
- Biceps face forward
- Forearms parallel to each other
- Keep neck neutral, in line with rest of spine
- Maintain flat back
- Shift center of gravity to hips and core
- Engage thighs
- Retract shoulder blades
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Engagement of shoulders, upper back, core, hips, and thighs
- Stretch in upper back, calves, and hamstrings
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Shoulders in front of elbows; if so, shift shoulders back, or walk feet back
- Shrugging shoulders; if so, pull shoulders down and back
Dolphin Pose Pro Tip
To develop active range of motion, as opposed to passive flexibility, focus on actively engaging your shoulders, core, and hips.
Dolphin Pose Modification
If your back is rounding significantly, place feet further away from your elbows. Bend your knees, and focus on flattening your back. Your legs will straighten more with time as your hamstring flexibility increases.
If you want to try another step-by-step tutorial, try Horse Pose: https://manflowyoga.com/blog/horse-pose-for-beginners-and-men/
About Dean Pohlman, Founder & CEO of Man Flow Yoga, Author of Yoga Fitness for Men, Expert on Yoga Fitness for Men.
Dean Pohlman is making yoga more accessible to fitness-minded men. A former collegiate lacrosse player, Dean discovered yoga while recovering from injuries and quickly realized its potential to boost strength, mobility, and overall performance.
Since launching Man Flow Yoga in 2013, Dean Pohlman has built a global community that speaks for itself:
- 195,000+ customers
- 42+ million YouTube views
- 200,000+ followers across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
Dean’s book Yoga Fitness for Men has sold over 50,000 copies, while his Body by Yoga DVD series has surpassed 120,000 units sold, earning him consistent #1 rankings on Amazon and thousands of five-star reviews. He’s also been featured in Men’s Health, Muscle & Fitness, GQ Magazine, Fox Tampa Bay, The Chicago Sun, and on influential podcasts like The Ready State and Ben Greenfield Fitness.
With a focus on real results, community, and technique-focused instruction, Dean Pohlman continues to change the conversation around yoga. He’s not just teaching poses—he’s helping people build stronger, more capable bodies for life.
