Bow Pose

About This Class

In this short but thorough pose tutorial, Bryan Kest walks students through the full entry sequence into Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) using Melissa as a model. The class begins in Child's Pose, moves through hands-and-knees and Plank, then transitions to lying prone. Bryan offers accessible modifications — widening the knees to make the ankle grip easier, or substituting Cobra Pose for those who cannot yet reach their ankles. Once in the bow, he gives detailed guidance on foot options (relaxed vs. flexed, pulling back vs. up toward the ceiling), hand grip technique to engage the forearms, and — crucially — how to distribute the curve evenly along the entire spine rather than dumping into the lower back. Special emphasis is placed on opening the chest and shoulders wide and finding the deep upper and middle back, areas Bryan describes as "the hardest place in the human body to touch." The class closes with a gentle release back to the floor with a head turn to counter the neck.