Yoga Yoga Poses Seated Poses Tortoise Pose

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Steps :

1. Start this pose by either doing the Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose) or Dandasana (Staff Pose). Now spread out your legs as wide as you can.
2. While bending both your knees you should put your arms under your bent knees.
3. Continue to move your arms even further under your legs – till they reach behind your back. Keep the palms of your hands facing downwards while doing this.
4. Now slowly begin to straighten your legs and use them to pull your shoulders towards the floor.
5. Let your forehead or chin touch the floor or alternatively, let your head hang downwards.
6. Hold this position while breathing 3-8 times.

Precautions :

• Never overstrain the muscles while attempting this pose.
• If you are a beginner or even regular into yoga, stay within your limits and listen to your instructor for guidance to do the pose.
• Breathe in and breathe out the way you would under normal circumstances while you are in final position of this pose.
• Also bear in mind that this pose should not be performed if you are suffering from any recent arm, hip or shoulder injuries.

Beginner’s Tip :

If you are new to the practice of yoga and are attempting this pose, keep this beginner’s tip for the Tortoise pose in mind. You can use some props if you find certain positions in this pose difficult. For instance, you might find it difficult to get your soles to touch the floor. In this case, you can put either a blanket ( fold it before doing so) or a high pillow under your leg to support it while it is extended.

It is important that you have a trained professional yoga instructor to guide you through the pose.

Benefit to Body Part :

• This pose helps you to stretch your back and your legs.
• It helps to improve the functioning of the digestive and respiratory systems.
• It helps to lengthen the muscles along your back.
• The organs in the abdomen are stimulated during this posture.
• The posture helps you to spread out both your shoulders and your hips.
• It aids in relaxation as the neck , head and shoulders relax during this pose.
• The spine is elongated during the practice of this yoga posture.
• Any tightness that is present in the lumbar and sacrum areas are released during this pose.

Therapeutic Applications :

• It increases the flow of blood to the brain. This in turn helps with mental clarity and memory.
• The lower part of the lungs are stretched during this pose and this aids in digestion, and also helps people who suffer from asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, flatulence.
• It is a great stress buster.
• It also helps with dealing with various sleep disorders like insomnia.
• This pose stretches the spine and is thus beneficial in the treatment of any spinal or back problem.

Variations :

• Half Tortoise Pose (Ardha Kūrmāsana)
• Upside-Down Tortoise Pose (Uttana Kūrmāsana)
• Sleeping Tortoise Pose (Supta Kūrmāsana)

Preparatory poses :

• Staff Pose (Dandasana)
• Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Find Pose

Select Pose Accomplished Pose Alternate Nostril Breathing Apaan Mudra Apan Vayu Mudra Arm Pressing Posture Balancing Stick Pose Bharadvaja's Twist Big Toe Pose Bound Angle Pose Bow Pose Bridge Pose Butterfly Pose Camel Pose Cat Pose Chair Pose Child's Pose Chin Mudra Corn Tree Pose Corpse Pose Cow Face Pose Crane Pose Crocodile Pose Dolphin Plank Pose Downward Facing Dog Pose Eagle Pose Easy Pose Eight-Angle Pose Extended Hand To Big Toe Pose Extended Puppy Pose Extended Side Angle Pose Feathered Peacock Pose Firefly Pose Fish Pose Four Limbed Staff Pose Ganesha Mudra Garland Pose Gate Pose Gyan Mudra Half Frog Pose Half Lord of the Fishes Pose Half Moon Pose Half Tortoise Pose Handstand Happy Baby Pose Hare Pose Head To Knee Forward Bend Hero Pose Heron Pose High Lunge King Pigeon Pose Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose Linga Mudra Locust Pose Lord of the Dance Pose Lotus Pose Low Lunge Mandala Mudra Mantra Meditation Monkey Pose Mountain Pose Noose Pose One Legged King Pigeon Pose II One-Legged King Pigeon Pose Peacock Pose Plough Pose Prana Mudra Prithvi Mudra Raised Foot Pose Reclining Big Toe Pose Reclining Bound Angle Pose Revolved Abdomen Pose Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose Revolved Side Angle Pose Revolved Twist Rudra Mudra Scale Pose Scorpion Pose Seated Forward Bend Seated Wide Angle Forward Bend Shankh Mudra Shoulder Pressing Pose Shunya Mudra Side Crane Pose Side Plank Pose Single Nostril Breath Skull Brightener Breath Spread Leg Forward Fold Staff Pose Standing Split Supported Headstand Supported Shoulderstand Surabhi Mudra Surahi Mudra Surya Mudra The Shooting Bow Pose Tree Pose Upward Bow or Wheel Pose Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose Upward Forward Fold Upward-Facing Dog Urdhva Mukha Pinch Mayurasana Vayu Mudra Warrior I Pose Warrior II Pose Warrior Seal Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend Wide Legged Forward Bend Wind Removing Pose

Tortoise Pose

• Bharadvaja's Twist - Bharadvajasana I
• Monkey Pose
• Fire Log Pose
• The Shooting Bow Pose
• Heron Pose
• Noose Pose
• Staff pose
• Easy Pose
• Bound Angle Pose
• Half Lotus Pose
• Cow Face Pose
• Seated Side Bend
• Simple Twist
• Seated Boat Pose
• Seated half spinal twist
• Thunderbolt Pose
• Hero Pose