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Upper Legs · Body Weight
Pigeon Pose
Pigeon Pose is an intermediate compound yoga exercise that works the glutes (upper legs), with the quadriceps 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
- Glutes
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Category
- Yoga
- Mechanic
- Compound
- Force
- Static
- Sets × reps
- 2-3 × 30-60 sec hold
- Calories / min
- ≈ 3.7 kcal
Primary muscles
- Glutes
- Hip Flexors
Secondary muscles
- Quadriceps
How to do Pigeon Pose
- From all fours, bring one knee forward toward your wrist with the shin angled across your body.
- Slide the other leg straight back.
- Lower your hips and keep your chest lifted.
- Hold, breathing slowly, then switch sides.
Form tips
- Square your hips toward the front.
- Use a block under your hip if needed.
Pigeon Pose alternatives
More glutes exercises
Pigeon Pose FAQ
What muscles does Pigeon Pose work?
Pigeon Pose mainly works the glutes in the upper legs. The quadriceps work as secondary muscles.
What equipment do you need for Pigeon Pose?
None. Pigeon Pose is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.
How many sets and reps of Pigeon 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 Pigeon Pose good for beginners?
It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler upper legs exercises.
How many calories does Pigeon 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 Pigeon Pose?
Other exercises for the glutes include Dumbbell Single Leg Glute Bridge, Resistance Band Glute Bridge, Resistance Band Glute Bridge_Version2 and Resistance Band Glute Bridge Abduction.
For developers
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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.
# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_CIHSM2" \ -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" { "id": "ex_CIHSM2", "name": "Pigeon Pose", "model": "male", "counterpartId": "ex_TPV6XV", "target": "Glutes", "equipment": "Body Weight", "media": { "mp4": "https://…/ex_CIHSM2/mp4-720.mp4?…", "poster": "https://…/ex_CIHSM2/poster.jpg?…" } }