This pose actively stretches your hamstrings to release tension in your spine and back. Focus on engaging the correct muscles to stretch the hamstrings, and don’t worry about whether you can touch your hands to the floor. This posture is great after a workout or long walk.
Forward Fold Target Muscles
- hamstrings
- core
- mid-back
- upper back
Forward Fold Benefits
- Increases hamstring mobility
- Relieves tension in entire spine
- Prevents soft-tissue injuries in hips and thighs
How to do Forward Fold Pose for Beginners
- Stand in Mountain with your big toes touching and heels about 1in (2.5cm) apart.
- Inhale to lift arms overhead, then exhale as you hinge at the hips and squeeze torso toward upper thighs. Let fingertips move toward the floor.
- Tuck chin to chest, looking backward to lengthen back of neck. Maintain a flat back by firmly engaging abs and squeezing inner thighs.
- Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen the spine, and exhaling as you fold deeper.
Cues for Forward Fold
- Tuck chin toward chest
- Keep spine long and flat
- Use core to pull torso toward thighs
- Keep hips directly above heels, not behind
- Keep knees soft
YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Stretch in back of thighs, calves, mid-back, upper back, and neck
- Engagement of hips, thighs, and core
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Relaxed abdomen; if so, fully engage core to deepen the fold and protect spine
- Significant rounding of spine to bend deeper; if so, bend knees as needed
Forward Fold Pro Tip
Actively flex the muscles in the front of the body to feel the stretch in the back of the body. Focus on keeping the back flat. Bend knees as necessary; hamstring flexibility comes with time.
Forward Fold Modification
NOT THERE YET? If you must strain to reach your fingertips to the floor, bend knees and place hands on a block in front of your feet.
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.
