Pose sheet

Tortoise Pose

Kūrmāsanaकूर्मासन

Seated, fold between your extended legs, with arms reaching sideways beneath your thighs.

Open this pose in the 3D body

Steps

Support

Sitting bones and heels; arms, palms, chest, and chin contact the floor.

Enter

Sit in Staff Pose; separate your knees to shoulder width.
Bend both knees, keeping your heels on the floor.
Exhale; fold from your hips and slide your arms beneath your knees.
Extend your arms sideways, with your palms on the floor.
Lengthen your chest forward; straighten your legs and lower your chin.

Hold

Keep your heels grounded and thighs active.
Keep your knees near your armpits, resting over your arms.
Lengthen your breastbone forward and draw your shoulder blades together.
Keep your inner thighs touching your side ribs.

Exit

Bend your knees; slowly withdraw one arm, then the other.
Lift your torso and return to Staff Pose.

Breathing: Exhale as you fold; breathe normally while holding.
Gaze: Forward.
Duration: 30–60 seconds in this first stage.

Adapt

Adaptations

Bent kneesKeep both knees bent and your heels grounded.
BolsterRest your chest and head on a bolster.
Arms forwardSlide your arms slightly forward beneath your legs.
Preparatory foldFold with hands forward; slide shoulders underneath when space allows.

Variations

Arms backward, palms up, without a bind.
Hands clasped beneath your buttocks, legs apart.
Supta Kūrmāsana: ankles crossed behind your head, hands clasped.

Signals of effort

Deep hip flexion with the legs extended.
Arms compressed between the legs and the floor.
Chest and abdomen near the floor; reduced breathing space.