ex_QCBTW5

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Back · Body Weight

Bow Pose

intermediateyogaMale & female model

Bow Pose is an intermediate compound yoga exercise that works the spine (back), with the hamstrings, chest and hip flexors assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 2-3 sets of 30-60-second holds, and it burns about 3.7 calories per minute.

Target: Spine
Body part: Back
Equipment: Body Weight
Category: Yoga
Mechanic: Compound
Force: Static
Sets × reps: 2-3 × 30-60 sec hold
Calories / min: ≈ 3.7 kcal

Primary muscles

Lower Back · Erector Spinae
Glutes · Gluteus Maximus
Shoulders · Anterior Deltoids

Secondary muscles

Hamstrings · Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus
Chest · Pectoralis Major
Hip Flexors · Iliopsoas
Core · Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis

How to do Bow Pose

Lie face down with your legs stretched back and your arms extended in front of you, palms facing down.
Bend your knees and reach back to grasp your ankles with your hands.
Lift your chest and thighs off the floor by pressing your legs into your hands until you feel a comfortable stretch.
Hold the position for the desired duration, then slowly lower your body and release your ankles.

Form tips

Engage your core to help stabilize your spine.
Avoid forcing the stretch beyond a comfortable range of motion.
Lift your chest by pressing your legs into your hands rather than pulling with your arms.
Breathe slowly and evenly while holding the stretch.

Bow Pose alternatives

Good Mornings Dumbbells

Spine · intermediate

Superman Pulls Resistance Bands

Spine · beginner

Good Mornings Barbell

Spine · intermediate

Good Mornings Kettlebell

Spine · intermediate

More spine exercises

Child Pose

Cat Pose

Scorpion Twist Pose

Child Pose Up

Child Pose Arms on Side

Spine · beginner

Child Pose Lower Back Stretch

Spine · beginner

Superman Holds

Spine · intermediate

Cat Stretch

Spine · beginner

Bow Pose FAQ

What muscles does Bow Pose work?

Bow Pose mainly works the spine in the back (Erector Spinae, Gluteus Maximus and Anterior Deltoids). The hamstrings, chest, hip flexors and core work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Bow Pose?

None. Bow Pose is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.

How many sets and reps of Bow Pose should I do?

Start with 2-3 sets of 30-60-second holds. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Bow Pose good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler back exercises.

How many calories does Bow Pose burn?

About 3.7 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 3. Ten minutes of work is roughly 37 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Bow Pose?

Other exercises for the spine include Good Mornings Dumbbells, Superman Pulls Resistance Bands, Good Mornings Barbell and Good Mornings Kettlebell.

For developers

Use Bow Pose in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

Get a free API key Read the docs

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_QCBTW5" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_QCBTW5",
  "name": "Bow Pose",
  "model": "male",
  "counterpartId": "ex_VZSOGV",
  "target": "Spine",
  "equipment": "Body Weight",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_QCBTW5/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_QCBTW5/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}