Demonstrated by

Pancake

Pancake is an important foundation pose that enables other poses such as fold through as well as helping improve poses such as human knot, legs behind head and side split. The key points to watch out for with pancake are having a completely flat back with stomach on the floor, toes pointed and feet not tilting inwards, but with the tops of the feet pointing straight up to the ceiling

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Related contortion poses

Leg behind head while twisted armbalance

A fun progression after leg behind head and the twisted variations have been mastered.

Leg behind head arm balance

Once comfortable with leg behind head a contortionist is able to start playing with different positions and transitions.

Leg behind head

Leg behind head is the act of placing one’s foot or ankle behind the head, neck, shoulder.

Leg behind back while standing

Leg behind back twist

Leg behind back handstand

Leg behind back

Fold through is a classic frontbending pose that is a great progression for those working towards human knot.

Human knot is one of the classic staples of a frontbending performance.

Kandasana armbalance

Highly advanced

Human knot with ankles under opposite arms

Human Knot armbalance

Squat is a fundamental pose for many hip-related poses. To squat down have your feet a little over shoulder width apart and sit down…

Raised bridge (Feet raised)

Raised bridge provides a more accessible version of bridge pose that allows for better access into the shoulders than that of bridge from…

Pike while standing

Pike pose while standing helps with developing your hamstring flexibility in a different plane of gravity but also helps…

Pike pose is one of the fundamental foundation poses when you’re starting off in your training in contortion…

Pigeon pose is another great foundation pose that is wise to master. This position is the precursor to much…

Pancake is an important foundation pose that enables other poses such as fold through as well as helping improve poses such as human…

Lunge with hands on floor

Lunge with elbows on floor

The next progression of lunge is to lower to the floor with a flat back and elbows placed running parallel with the foot. The key is…

The most simple pose of the lunge sequence, in this position you want to have your hips square pushing forwards and down at the same…

Frog is one of the great first stages of working towards box splits. The full expression of frog pose is quite challenging…

Glute bridge could be seen as one of the very first forays into backbending that puts much more emphasis on using the glutes…

Butterfly pose is a foundation pose that stretches the groin and less so, the hamstrings…

Cobra pose is a foundation backbending pose. This pose stretches the abdominals and the lower and thoracic spine