Pyramid is a very effective pose for increasing mobility in the hamstrings. This makes it ideal for athletes trying to reduce their risk of injury, office workers who spend most of their day sitting, as well as people with chronic lower-back pain. If you want to be able to touch your toes, this is a good pose to work on.
Pyramid Target Areas
- Hamstrings
- Hips
- Core
Pyramid Benefits
- Increases hamstring flexibility
- Stretches muscles connected to lower back for lower-back relief
- Decreases risk of hamstring tears and soft-tissue injuries in lower body
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How to Do Pyramid
- Start in a Warrior 1 stance (see p40), with your right foot back and turned out at 45 degrees, left knee bent, and hips facing forward.
- Hinge at the hips and rest fingertips on the floor on either side of front foot. Flatten your back by pulling chest forward and engaging core.
- Keeping your back flat and your abs long, slowly straighten your left leg until you feel a stretch in left hamstrings. (It’s okay for your left knee to bend as needed.) Squeeze legs toward each other, engaging both quadriceps, and maintain the tension. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen the chest, and exhaling as you deepen the stretch in your hamstrings. Repeat on the other side.
Cues for Pyramid
- Place hands on hips to ensure hips are level
- Engage core and flatten back
- Maintain flat back, and core long and engaged
- Lift chest and look slightly forward
- Keep both feet firmly pressed into floor
- Pull left hip up and back; push right hip down and forward
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Stretch in front hamstrings
- Muscle engagement of inner thighs and core
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Lower-back pain or collapsed torso; if so, engage core
Pyramid Pro Tip
To increase your hamstring strength and mobility, focus on active engagement of the hamstrings in the front leg.
PYRAMID POSE MODIFICATION
- If your hamstring flexibility is limited or if your spine is rounding, rest your hands on two blocks placed on either side of your front foot.
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.
