Start in Child's Pose, then slide your hands forward and walk the knees apart while staying back on your heels. This gentle starting shape is called Tadpole.
To go further, lift the hips until they stack over the knees and bring the feet together behind you (Half Frog).
For the full pose, separate the feet about as wide as the knees (Full Frog). The wider the feet and the more the hips stack over the knees, the stronger the groin opening.
Pad the knees with a blanket, and rest your chest — and your forehead, not your chin — on the floor or a bolster.
Let the hips drift forward anytime the groin or hip sensation is too strong. That's a normal, healthy adjustment, not a failure.
Soften and stay 3–5 minutes. To go deeper over time, don't push lower — just stay longer.
Why practise it
A deep groin opener that targets the adductors (inner thighs).
Adds a slight backbend that gently compresses the lower and upper back.
Aids digestion and can ease cramps — both menstrual and digestive.
Stimulates the Spleen line through the inner knees and the Liver and Kidney lines through the inner groins.
Coming in & out
Into the pose
From Child's Pose / Tadpole — slide the hands forward and widen the knees
Out of the pose
Sit back into Child's Pose, or slide forward onto your belly and bring the legs together.
Take care
Go gently with a sensitive lower back — this pose adds a mild backbend.
Knees take some load: pad them with a blanket, and if there's knee discomfort, narrow the feet or skip the pose.
Rest your forehead rather than your chin if the neck is stiff.
If your hands tingle when the arms reach forward, widen or narrow the hands, or extend one arm at a time.
At a glance
Hold
3–5 minutes
Level
Beginner
Target areas
hipsinner thighsgroinlower back
Meridians
spleenliverkidney
Props
bolsterblanket
Counterpose
Child's Pose · Lie on your back, hug the knees to the chest, and rock side to side or circle the knees
Practise with me
Ready to move?
Find this shape inside a full class — every one free to follow on YouTube. For a guided path, join the membership, or start with a free program.
