In short: side-reclining leg lift is lying on one side in a straight line, resting the head in the hand, and stretching the top leg up toward the ceiling while holding the big toe or a strap. It stretches the back and inner side of the raised leg and asks you to balance on a narrow base. It looks relaxed, which is part of the joke of its name, but staying stacked on the side takes steady work.
Below we explain the name, the cues that keep you from rolling off the side, the strap and wall versions, and where it fits in a practice.
The name
The Sanskrit name is Anantāsana. Ananta, “endless”, is a name of Vishnu and also of Shesha, the many-headed serpent on which Vishnu rests in Hindu mythology. In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar tells the story of Vishnu sleeping on his serpent couch in the cosmic ocean, which is why the pose is also called reclining Vishnu or Vishnu’s couch pose. Yoga Journal lists it as Side-Reclining Leg Lift. It is an established name with the same shape in both sources (see what asana means).
How to make it work
Start with the base. Lie on the side with the heels, hips, shoulders and elbow in one line, and press out through the bottom heel with the foot flexed; Yoga Journal suggests bracing the soles against a wall if you wobble. Rest the head in the palm with the elbow sliding away from the body, so the underarm lengthens.
Then lift. Turn the top leg out, bend the knee, catch the big toe with the first two fingers and thumb, and straighten arm and leg up together on an exhalation. The raised leg tends to drift forward while the top buttock drops back; firming the back of the pelvis and drawing the top hip slightly forward helps the leg come closer to vertical. If the knee will not straighten, loop a strap around the sole. Iyengar gives 15 to 20 seconds each side; Yoga Journal suggests 30 seconds to a minute.
Building the pose in stages
Light on Yoga builds Anantasana in small steps, and each one is a useful place to stop. Begin lying flat on your back, then exhale and roll onto one side. Stretch the bottom arm beyond the head in line with the body, bend the elbow and rest the head in the palm, just above the ear. Iyengar suggests staying here for a few seconds with normal or deep breaths before going on. If that position already feels wobbly, it is enough for today: you are learning the long, straight line that the rest of the pose depends on.
Next, bend the top knee and catch the big toe with the thumb and first two fingers. On an exhale, stretch the arm and the leg up together. Hold with normal breathing. To come out, Iyengar again goes slowly: exhale, bend the knee back to the side-lying position, lower the head from the hand and roll onto your back before turning to the other side. Yoga Journal adds a short pause of a few breaths between sides.
Props when you wobble
If the soles against a wall are not enough to steady you, Yoga Journal suggests wedging a bolster along your back. A strap around the sole of the top foot lets you keep the knee straight without straining to reach the toe.
Common mistakes
- Rolling backward: keep heels, hips and shoulders stacked in one line and press out through both heels.
- Letting the leg swing forward: firm the back of the pelvis so the leg can move back toward vertical.
- Hunching the neck: slide the elbow away from the body so the underarm stays long.
- Grabbing the toe with a bent knee and calling it done: use a strap and straighten the leg instead.
In Iyengar’s suggested course, Anantasana comes in the second, intermediate course, next to reclining hand-to-big-toe pose, which shows how closely the two are linked.
Precautions in plain words
Lift only as far as the hamstrings allow with a straight knee; a strap is better than forcing. With neck or shoulder pain, rest the head on the outstretched arm or a folded blanket instead of the hand. With a hamstring, groin, hip or sacroiliac problem, keep the leg lower. During pregnancy side-lying is usually comfortable, but skip the lift if it strains the belly or pelvis. This page is general information, not individual advice.
Preparation, what comes next and where it is taught
Reclining hand-to-big-toe pose, especially the leg-to-the-side version, is the best preparation: it is the same leg action with the back on the floor. Yoga Journal also lists gate pose and triangle pose as preparation and downward-facing dog as a follow-up. The standing cousin is extended hand-to-big-toe pose, and side plank works the same side-lying line with the body lifted. You will meet Anantasana in Iyengar, hatha and vinyasa classes.
