# Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)

A standing yoga balance where you hold one foot behind you, lift that thigh back and tip your torso forward while the free arm reaches ahead. Stretches the quads and hip flexors of the lifted leg and trains single-leg balance.

- Intermediate · Mobility
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/lord-of-the-dance/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/dancer-pose-natarajasana/

## Muscles worked

- Quads: 7/10
- Hip flexors: 7/10
- Glutes: 5/10
- Hamstrings: 4/10
- Calves: 3/10

## How to do the Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)

1. Stand on one foot and hold the other ankle behind you.
2. Reach your free arm forward at shoulder height.
3. Push your foot into your hand and tip your torso forward.
4. Hold steadily, then release and switch sides.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Stand tall with your weight balanced on one foot.
2. Bend the other knee and reach back with the same-side hand to hold your ankle.
3. Reach your free arm straight forward at about shoulder height.
4. Push your foot back into your hand to lift the thigh behind you as your torso tips forward.
5. Keep the standing leg straight and balance over the middle of your foot.
6. Hold the position without arching your lower back.
7. Breathe steadily, then release and repeat on the other side.

## Common mistakes

- Bending the standing knee
- Arching the lower back
- Pulling the foot outward
- Letting the lifted knee drift out to the side
- Bouncing into the stretch

## Form cues

- Push foot into hand
- Standing leg straight
- Reach long through front arm
- Balance over middle of foot
- Breathe through the hold

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 30 s · 5 reps in reserve
- **Muscle growth**: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 30 s · 5 reps in reserve
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps · rest 30 s · 5 reps in reserve

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Dancer Pose (Natarajasana) work?

Primary: Quads 7/10, Hip flexors 7/10. Also works: Glutes 5/10, Hamstrings 4/10, Calves 3/10.

### When should I do the Dancer Pose (Natarajasana) in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 3 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)?

Strength: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 30 s, 5 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 30 s, 5 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps, rest 30 s, 5 reps in reserve.

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