All exercisesYoga·Hamstrings 
Half Pancake (Janu Sirsasana)
Both sides · L/RHamstringsHipsLower BackAdductors

Step 1 / 4
At a glance
- Equipment
- Yoga mat
- Suggested hold
- Hold 8–10 breaths per side
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Common mistakes
You let the chest drift toward the bent-knee side instead of staying squared over the long leg.
You haul on the foot with the arms, rounding the back to close the distance.
You let the extended leg's kneecap roll outward as you fold.
You let the bent-knee side sit bone lift off the floor to buy depth.
What to focus on
Lead with the sternum toward the shin and let the head arrive last.
Keep both sit bones heavy — the stretch sharpens the moment they stay grounded.
Soften the extended knee slightly if the hamstring screams; you can straighten it again as it releases.
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Sources & further reading
- 1.A ~30-second static hamstring stretch reliably improves hamstring range of motion — Physical Therapy (1997), Bandy & Irion