> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://movement.mantavyam.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Sleeping tortoise pose
> Elite · Static · Bilateral. Flexibility
Also known as: Supta Kurmasana.
| | |
| - | - |
| **Difficulty** | Elite |
| **Velocity** | Static |
| **Symmetry** | Bilateral |
| **Athlete** | Lucie |
| **Video length** | 50 s |
## Technique
1. From a downward facing dog position, jump the legs around the arms and lower the butt down.
2. Place the left leg behind the head, followed by the right leg.
3. Fold forward bringing the forehead to the floor.
4. Take the arms back and bind hands behind the back.
5. To come up, lift the head, plant the hands on each side of your hips and lift up.
6. Take the legs back to Crane pose (crane pose)
7. Jump back to Bottom pushup hold.
## Form tips
* This version is quite extreme and requires proficiency with leg behind the head poses. If you cannot put your legs behind the head, try the version with the entrance from kurmasana.
* In the transition, make sure the arms are not too wide. You can work the legs back behind the arms one leg at a time.
**Risks**
* Attempting this pose without proficiency in the leg behind the head can lead to injuries. Legs that are too high on the neck / head can cause injury to the cervical spine. Excessive flexion in the lower back caused by tight hamstrings and hips can create lumbar spine injuries. Reaching back to bind the hands can over-stretch the ligaments connecting the collarbone to the breastbone. Practitioners often report a "popping" sensation followed by pain or inflammation in the area.
## Muscles
Flexibility
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Hip adductors
- Rotator cuff
- Spine
- Shoulders
## Equipment
## Appears in
## Regressions
Advanced
Intermediate
Elite
Intermediate
Novice
Elite
Advanced
Want to log this exercise? Open it in [Calistree](https://calistree.app/datasheet/sleeping-tortoise-pose-e18p). Text and images are used under [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/); the video plays from the original source.
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