Almost nothing we do in our daily life invites the ankles into this extreme plantar flexion, and so this pose often doesn’t “look” like much, but can feel extreme. In this shape, we are looking for a stretch in the front of the shin without sensation in the knee. Support beneath the knees in the form of a rolled blanket, towel, or mat, can make an effective edge of sensation, as can a block or support beneath the seat.

Teachers looking to support students with limited flexion of the knee can offer this pose at the wall – side lying or back lying – or with the support of a chair. This is an excellent offering for chair yoga, particularly in a corporate environment or conference where people are close together in chairs and able to remove their shoes.

If you are sequencing a class based on the principles of TCM, this is an excellent pose for the Stomach meridian, which runs along the front of the lower leg.