Intermediate

Marichi's Pose

Named for the sage Marichi, this twist uses the raised knee as leverage to rotate the spine and wring out the obliques, low back, and the glute of the bent leg. It builds rotational mobility and a tall spine at the same time. Keep the extended leg active so the pelvis stays anchored as you turn.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Abs, Back
Type
Stretching, Yoga
Muscles worked
Target
Abdominal External Oblique, Erector Spinae
Secondary
Gluteus Maximus, Latissimus Dorsi
Tertiary
Gluteus Medius

How to do it

  1. 1

    Sit with one leg extended straight and the other knee bent, foot flat and close to the sit bone.

  2. 2

    Inhale and lengthen the spine, growing tall through the crown.

  3. 3

    Exhale and rotate the torso toward the bent knee.

  4. 4

    Hook the opposite elbow outside the raised thigh or wrap the arm around the shin.

  5. 5

    Anchor the back hand on the floor behind you and lift out of the hips with each inhale.

  6. 6

    Deepen the twist on each exhale, then unwind slowly and repeat on the other side.

Tips

  • Grow taller on the inhale and only rotate further on the exhale to protect the discs.
  • Press the extended-leg heel away to keep both sit bones down and the pelvis square.
  • Turn from the mid-back and ribs rather than cranking the neck around first.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The bent-leg foot slides away from the sit bone, and once the heel is out in front there is nothing for the arm to hook against; walk it back until the heel nearly touches the hip.
  • The bent knee drifts out to the side as the torso turns, which buys a few free degrees of rotation and takes the leverage out of the hook.
  • The back hand creeps further behind you breath by breath until the shoulder sits behind the spine and the chest has collapsed.
  • Reaching for a wrap around the shin lifts the back sit bone off the floor, and a twist on a tilted pelvis rotates the low back instead of the mid-spine; take the simple elbow hook and stay down.
  • Sides get unequal time because you start with the easier direction and linger there; twist the stiffer way first and match the other side to it.

Frequently asked

How long should I hold Marichi's pose on each side?
Five slow breaths per side, two rounds each way, taken late in a practice or after seated forward folds when the hips have opened. Deepen by a degree or two on each exhale rather than arriving at your limit on the first breath. Daily is fine. Progress by adding breaths, then by moving from the elbow hook to a wrap around the shin, and only then by binding the hands behind the back.
What can I use if I cannot bind in Marichi's pose?
A strap, a belt or a long towel between the hands closes any gap behind the back, and it lets you keep both sit bones down while you work toward the clasp. Hugging the shin with both arms is a perfectly good version, as is hooking the elbow outside the knee with the other hand planted behind you. Sitting up on a folded blanket frees the pelvis and usually gains more rotation than any arm position does.
What is Marichi's pose good for, and when is it a poor choice?
It trains rotation through the mid-back and ribs, stretches the obliques and the outer hip of the bent leg, and teaches you to lengthen the spine before turning it, which is useful for anyone stiff from sitting. It is a poor choice if you want rotational strength, where a cable or medicine-ball twist does the job, and a poor one if rotation brings on pain in the low back or down a leg, which is worth having looked at rather than stretched into. Bharadvaja's twist is the gentler option.

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