Yin Yoga · Beginner

Reclined Swan

Hold

2–5 minutes per side

Time your hold

Routines featuring this pose

Bedtime Wind-Down 20 min · A gentle 20-minute bedtime Yin routine — soft, supported shapes to downshift the nervous system and melt toward sleep, with a built-in hold timer. Lower-Back Release 20 min · A gentle 20-minute Yin routine to release lower-back tension — length, decompression and hip release, held slowly with a built-in hold timer. All levels.

How to do it

Lie on your back with both knees bent and the feet flat on the floor.
Cross your right ankle over your left thigh, just above the knee, and gently flex the right foot to support the ankle and knee.
Let the right knee open away from you, so the shape makes a figure four.
Reach your right hand through the gap between your thighs and your left hand around the outside of the left leg. Clasp your hands behind the left thigh — or hold the shin if that's within reach.
Draw the left thigh toward your chest until you find your edge — about 80% of your capacity, a real stretch through the right outer hip but never forcing.
Let your head, shoulders and lower back stay heavy on the floor. If reaching the thigh lifts the head, loop a strap around it instead, or rest the lifted foot against a wall.
Be still, soften, and let the shape do the work. Stay, then swap sides.

Why practise it

An accessible hip opener that draws the front hip into external rotation while you lie safely on your back.
Releases the glutes and the outer hip, easing tension that often gathers there from sitting.
Because the floor supports you, it's far kinder to the knees than the kneeling Swan poses.
Stimulates the Gall Bladder, Liver, Kidney, Stomach and Spleen meridian lines.
A calming, low-effort shape — lovely near the end of a practice or any time the front-of-body poses feel too much for the knees.

Coming in & out

Into the pose

From lying on your back with the knees bent — cross one ankle over the opposite thigh
From a reclined position after Happy Baby or a reclined twist

Out of the pose

Release the hands, uncross the ankle and set both feet back on the floor.
Hug both knees into the chest for a breath or two to neutralise the hips.

Take care

Mind the front knee. Keep the crossed foot flexed to support the knee, and back off if you feel any pinch in the joint rather than a stretch in the hip. Take care, or skip, with a meniscus or knee injury.
If your head and shoulders lift off the floor when you draw the leg in, use a strap around the thigh or press the lifted foot into a wall so the neck and back can stay soft.
For lower-back or sacroiliac sensitivity, keep the draw-in gentle and shallow — the stretch belongs in the hip, not the back.
Come out slowly and hug the knees in before moving on.

At a glance

Hold: 2–5 minutes per side
Level: Beginner
Target areas: hipsglutesouter hiplower back
Meridians: gall bladderliverkidneystomachspleen
Props: folded blanketstrap
Counterpose: Knees hugged to the chest to settle the lower back · A reclined twist to release across the hips and spine

Common questions

How long do you hold Reclined Swan in Yin Yoga?

Most people hold Reclined Swan for 2–5 minutes per side. The long, still hold is what makes it Yin — settle in, soften, and let the shape do the work. Come out a little sooner if you ever need to.

Is Reclined Swan suitable for beginners?

Yes. Reclined Swan is a beginner-friendly Yin pose — approachable and easy to support. Work at about 80% of your edge, breathe, and read the cues and cautions on this page before you begin.

What does Reclined Swan stretch?

Reclined Swan mainly works the hips, glutes, outer hip and lower back. An accessible hip opener that draws the front hip into external rotation while you lie safely on your back.

Do you need props for Reclined Swan?

You don't have to, but a folded blanket or strap can make Reclined Swan more comfortable and help you relax into the hold. Props in Yin aren't a shortcut — they let you stay longer and soften more deeply.

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Classes featuring this pose

Bedtime Yin 30 min · A calming 30-minute evening Yin practice to wind down for sleep — slow full-body stretches to release tension and quiet the mind. Day 2 of the Bedtime Challenge. Silent Yin 60 min · A 1-hour silent Yin class — a deep full-body stretch held long and slow with minimal cues and no props. Meditative and calming, for all levels. 60-Minute Full-Body Yin 60 min · A guided 60-minute no-props Yin class — a full-body stretch held long and slow to release tension and create some peaceful moments. All levels.