Also called Goddess, this is a fantastic pose to build groin mobility and hip strength. This squat isolates the glutes to reduce the risk of knee injury, correct muscle imbalances in runners, and improve hip mobility in all athletes for better performance. Horse also addresses the root of back pain caused by excessive sitting.
Horse Pose Target Areas
- Hips
- Core
- Groin
- Glutes
Horse Pose Benefits
- Strengthens lower body
- Improves hip mobility to prevent soft-tissue injury
- Increases range of motion for kicking, squats, and changes of direction
How to Do Horse Pose
- Stand with your feet 3 to 4ft (1–1.25m) apart. Turn your toes out to at least 45 degrees, but up to 90 degrees as able. Place hands on your hips to help maintain neutral alignment.
- Lower your hips down into a squat, pressing your knees backward. Tighten your glutes, reach your tailbone down, and press pelvis forward to keep hips under the torso. Keep knees in line with the middle toes. Raise your arms, bend
elbows to about 90 degrees, and face your palms forward. Hold the posture, inhaling to reach tailbone down and keep
spine neutral, and exhaling to sink deeper into the squat.
Cues for Horse Pose
- Keep spine neutral
- Point toes outward
- Draw ribs in
- Pull navel to spine to engage core
- Press elbows back to open chest
- Reach tailbone down
- Press knees backward, keeping them in line with middle toes
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Intense stretch in inner thighs and groin
- Stretch in shoulders and chest
- Engagement of glutes and hips
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Knees collapsing inward; if so, squeeze glutes to draw them back, or use hands to push out
- Arches of feet collapsing; if so, press firmly into toes and balls of feet
Horse Pose Pro Tip
Gluteal engagement makes this pose effective at increasing groin mobility. Pretend you are squeezing a coin between your glutes, and sink deeper.
Horse Pose Alternate View
Strive to keep your hips under your torso. Keep your spine as neutral as possible.
WANT MORE Standing Poses for beginners and men? TRY https://manflowyoga.com/blog/forward-fold-pose-for-men-and-beginners
About Dean Pohlman, Founder & CEO of Man Flow Yoga, Author of Yoga Fitness for Men, Expert on Yoga Fitness for Men.
Dean Pohlman is an E-RYT 200 certified yoga instructor and the founder of Man Flow Yoga. Dean is widely considered to be an authority on Yoga for Men. He has worked with physical therapists to create yoga programs for back health and spinal recovery. His workouts and programs have been used by professional and collegiate athletes, athletic trainers, and personal trainers; and have been recommended by physical therapists, doctors, chiropractors, and other medical professionals.
Dean is a successfully published author through DK Publishing (Yoga Fitness for Men), selling 35,000 copies worldwide in English, French, and German; in addition to being a co-producer of the Body by Yoga DVD Series, which has sold over 40,000 copies on Amazon since its release in 2016.
Man Flow Yoga has been featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Mens’ Health, The Chicago Sun, New York Magazine, and many more major news media outlets.
