Exercise guide
Tiger Yoga Pose
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper legs
- Waist
The Tiger Pose is a dynamic spinal mobility and core stability exercise that strengthens the posterior chain while engaging the deep abdominals through a rhythmic crunch-to-extension movement.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Start on all fours in a tabletop position with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine and gaze slightly forward at the floor.
- Distribute your weight evenly across your palms and the tops of your feet.
How to do it
- Inhale as you lift one leg back and up, bending the knee at a 90-degree angle and reaching your toes toward the ceiling while slightly arching your back.
- Exhale as you draw that same knee forward toward your forehead, rounding your spine and forcefully contracting your abdominals.
- Move with a slow, controlled tempo, pausing for one second at both the peak extension and the crunch.
- Repeat for the desired reps on one side before switching, or alternate sides to challenge balance.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips square to the floor; do not let the hip of the working leg rotate upward.
- Maintain a slight micro-bend in the elbows to avoid joint locking and engage the arms.
- Press firmly through your hands to keep your shoulders active and away from your ears.
- Focus on full spinal articulation—arching on the lift and rounding on the tuck.
Pro tips
- To maximize glute engagement, imagine trying to touch your toes to the back of your head at the top of the movement.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together during the extension phase to better activate the trapezius and upper back muscles.
Make it harder
- Extend the opposite arm forward simultaneously (Bird-Dog style) to significantly increase the stability demand on the obliques.
- Hold the knee-to-nose 'crunch' position for 3-5 seconds to increase time under tension for the core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the tiger yoga pose work?
- The tiger yoga pose primarily targets the abs, hamstrings, obliques, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae, glutes, and quadriceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the tiger yoga pose?
- The tiger yoga pose requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the tiger yoga pose good for beginners?
- Yes. The tiger yoga pose is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
Related exercises
- Bear Walk To Rolling RockIntermediate · abs, hamstrings, obliques, and trapezius
- Front Plank To Toe TapIntermediate · abs, adductors, erector spinae, hamstrings, obliques, pectorals, and trapezius
- Front Plank With Arm And Leg Lift Push-Up PositionIntermediate · abs, erector spinae, hamstrings, lats, obliques, and trapezius
- InchwormIntermediate · abs, hamstrings, obliques, pectorals, and trapezius