The Kriya Yogi logo — Om symbolThe Kriya Yogi

Mandukasana

Frog Pose

manduka = frog

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 20 September 2026

The frog crouches low on folded knees — a kneeling opener that grounds the hips and stills the legs before practice.

Family
Kneeling
Level
beginner
Lineage
classical — GS ch.2
Works on
hips · knees

Note on the sources: Classical description differs from the modern form; note both on the page

The yogic view

The Gheranda Samhita instructs: set the feet with the soles joined and the heels turned up, kneel, and hold the pose steadily like a frog. The image is exact — the low crouch, the knees spread, the wide, patient stillness of the animal. Classically Mandukasana is counted among the poses that prepare the lower body for sitting: it opens the hips from a kneeling base, releases the ankles and insteps, and brings the weight of the body low, which the tradition associates with apana, the settling, downward-moving energy. It is a humble pose, practised at the beginning and end of a session to bring the body to ground.

How to practise

  1. Kneel and bring the big toes to touch behind you, spreading the knees wide apart.
  2. Sit back between the heels if the ankles allow; otherwise stay on the knees with the seat lifted.
  3. Rest the hands on the thighs and lengthen the spine upward.
  4. Let the hips soften down with each exhale without forcing them.
  5. Hold for one to three minutes, then release the legs slowly and stretch them out.

For seated or floor-based work, use a clean, stable surface. Our natural cork yoga mat offers a grounded 5 mm surface for regular practice.

What research shows

Deep kneeling positions stretch the quadriceps, the front of the ankles, and the hip flexors, and load the knee joint near full flexion — beneficial for healthy knees as joint-nourishing compression, risky for damaged ones. The frog-leg hip position abducts and externally rotates the femurs, mirroring the mobility demands of the classical lotus-family seats in a more accessible form.

Questions about Mandukasana

+ How long should you hold Mandukasana?
Mandukasana can be held for one to three minutes once the knees and ankles are comfortable; start with thirty to sixty seconds and pad under the ankles or sit on a cushion if there is pressure. Let the breath decide: if it becomes short, held or noisy, you have stayed too long or gone too deep.
+ Is Mandukasana suitable for beginners?
Yes. Mandukasana is a beginner-level posture in the kneeling family, and it is a reasonable shape to learn early. Reduce the range, use a wall or a cushion where balance or height helps, and hold it for fewer breaths at first. Read the cautions below before you begin, since "beginner-friendly" is not the same as "suitable for everyone".
+ What are the modifications for Mandukasana?
Work with the shape rather than around it: reduce the range, shorten the lever by bending the nearest joint, and raise the floor toward you. Three adjustments apply to almost any posture: raise the hips on a folded blanket or cushion in seated work, bend the knees in anything that loads the back of the legs, and use a wall, chair or block to take weight and remove the fear of falling. A supported version practised often produces more change than a deep version practised rarely.
+ Who should avoid or modify Mandukasana?
For Mandukasana specifically: knee injury. More generally, modify or skip it if you have an acute injury or recent surgery in the area it loads, if you are pregnant and have not been given individual guidance, or if the shape produces sharp, pinching, radiating or electric sensation. Numbness, tingling or pain travelling down a limb is a nerve signal to stop and be assessed, not to breathe through. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
+ What should you practise before and after Mandukasana?
Prepare with Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose). Release afterwards with Balasana (Child's Pose). Both lists are links on this page, and either can be shortened when time is limited — but do not skip preparation for a posture that loads a joint at end range.
+ What does Mandukasana mean in Sanskrit?
Mandukasana translates as frog pose — manduka = frog The posture is named in the classical literature — GS ch.2 — rather than being a modern addition.

Prepare with

Release with

Cautions

  • knee injury

More kneeling

Keep reading

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.