Yogis Anonymous

Sphinx Pose

Video

Sphinx Pose

Intermediate

By

Ally Hamilton

More of a spine lengthener than a back bend, sphinx pose is deceivingly nuanced.

Class details

Benefits

Strengthens the spine
Opens the chest, shoulders, abdomen and lungs
Stimulates digestion

Key Alignment Points

Lie on your belly with your legs together, big toes pointing straight back.
Draw the navel in and up, spin your inner thighs toward the sky, and firm your outer hips toward the floor, so the low back feels broad.
Bring your elbows under your shoulders with your hands and forearms shoulders’ distance apart.
Lengthen your tailbone toward your heels, keep your core engaged, and lift your head and chest off the floor.
Don’t move your arms, but imagine you’re sliding your forearms toward the back of your mat, to lengthen the belly forward, and open up across the chest.
The legs and core are active, the frontal hip points lift off the mat slightly, the arms draw back, but the face and mind are relaxed.

Contraindications

Back/disc injuries
Headache

Ready to work it?

Here are some classes featuring Sphinx Pose.

49 minutes

Intro to the Yoga Sutras

By Brent Laffoon on Mar 6, 2024

Gentle Yoga Beginner

A gentle yin practice infused with an informal introduction to some of the core concepts of the Yoga Sutras, which lay the foundation for virtually every school and style of yoga in the world today, but which many people who love the physical aspects of yoga know surprisingly little about. This class aims to take your knowledge to the next level while giving your mind and body a nice recharge... enjoy!
38 minutes

Peaceful Flow

By Josie Kramer on May 30, 2023

Gentle Yoga Beginner

A gentle yoga flow to calm your body and mind and inspire inner balance and peace. You can expect a full body practice that includes breath, mantra, spinal twists, hip and heart opening, neck and shoulder stretches, forward folds and self-reflection. Explore moving in a way that offers deep nourishment. Enjoy, yogis!
44 minutes

Fall Season Yin

By Jamie Monte on Sep 28, 2022

Yin Beginner

In the Fall, the focus is on balance and boundaries. Moderation is key in getting you through transitions without getting sick. As you wind down from Summer, keep an eye on how you spend your time and energy at work and in your social life. Is it sustainable for the season? We will work with the lung and large intestine meridians which flow through the chest, arms, and shoulders. Diffuse Rosemary which improves concentration and memory.
50 minutes

Shoulder Opening + Twists

By Ekaette Ekong on Aug 18, 2022

Hatha Beginner

This is a mindful flow where the pace is sweet and steady and the focus is on the shoulders. We'll build some heat and open up across the chest, shoulders and whole front body, including the quadriceps. We'll engage the core and play with standing balance including crescent pose, and find our way into some twists. Two blocks, a strap and a blanket will be helpful!
39 minutes

Morning Yin Yoga

By Jamie Monte on Jan 13, 2022

Yin Beginner

This morning practice will help you get up on the best side of the bed. On a physical level, yin yoga is most effective when our muscles are cold so we can reach the deeper layers of the body. Coupled with mindfulness, and guided Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing, this is a great way to start your day and set yourself up for more ease in your physical body and clarity in your mind.
49 minutes

Spinal Health + Flexibility

By Lauren Peterson on Jul 24, 2021

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Sitting, we warm up the spine with flexion, extension and some twists. What follows is a flow class and standing poses, with an emphasis on spinal health and core strength. Enjoy, yogis, and breathe deeply!
50 minutes

Strength and Stability

By Lauren Peterson on Apr 5, 2021

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

50 minutes full of fun! After a stretchy warm-up, I take you through sun salutations and standing poses, linked by vinyasa. Strong beginners will find this class challenging, but doable. It's also a great practice for intermediate/advanced students needing a well-balanced, shorter practice.
36 minutes

Supple, Strappy Shoulders

By Leslie Kazadi on Oct 21, 2020

Gentle Yoga Beginner

Sticky, tight shoulders can be a pain in the neck and the bane of your backbend. In this practice, we start by opening the shoulders and freeing the neck with a strap in a "closed chain" - Think stability and support for the neck and shoulders. We explore how freeing the shoulders opens the door to an open chest and long neck that makes backbends more fun... so long as we bring our abs to the party and support the low back, too! Don't worry. I'll remind you along the way. I've got your back!
10 minutes

GERD Modifications Tutorial

By Leslie Kazadi on Jul 1, 2018

General Beginner

GERD, aka acid reflux, is a common problem in pregnancy, menopause and aging. Hormones, stress, diet, medications and lifestyle choices are all things to examine as contributing factors. Some you can change and others not so much. How do you practice yoga asana and keep your throat above your belly at all times to avoid triggering GERD? It's absolutely possible with a little creativity. This tutorial looks at some basic ways to adjust your practice to help you shift from what you can't do into what is possible. Check out the "no forward folds" and "chair vinyasa course" for more ideas!
41 minutes

Open Your Heart

By Lauren Peterson on May 23, 2018

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

In this class, which progresses to deep backbends, we begin with a series of stretches to open the quads, hip flexors and warm up the back. Next, sun salutations and standing poses to get the blood circulating and the whole body engaged. We then move to the backbends, including different variations on bow pose. We cool down with finishing poses and savasana.