From the Practice Library · Study reference
What is actually working in each pose — and what is opening. For every one of the 43 poses below: the primary muscles engaged, the muscles lengthened, the joint actions that make the shape, and the one alignment point that matters most. Built for yoga teachers and teacher-training students; open to any yogi who wants to understand their practice from the inside.
How to read a card: Engaged muscles produce or hold the shape; Lengthened muscles are being stretched. In each pose figure, the engaged muscles glow gold and the lengthened muscles show teal. Tap a pose to expand it, then hit Quiz me to test yourself in Pose IQ's anatomy round.
Mountain Pose TadasanaRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip extension (neutral); knee extension; ankle neutral; spinal extension (neutral, tall)
Key alignment: Stack ears over shoulders and hips over heels, pressing down through all four corners of each foot.
Stand at Attention SamasthitiRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip extension (neutral); knee extension; ankle neutral; spinal extension (neutral, tall)
Key alignment: Stand with feet fully together and arms resting at your sides, weight shared evenly across both feet.
Arms Overhead (Upward Salute) Urdhva HastasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: shoulder flexion; scapular upward rotation; elbow extension; mild spinal extension; knee extension
Key alignment: Reach up through the fingertips while keeping the front ribs soft and the shoulders away from the ears.
Chair Pose UtkatasanaRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee flexion; ankle dorsiflexion; shoulder flexion; spinal extension (upright torso)
Key alignment: Sit the hips back and down with the knees behind the toes, chest lifted and weight in the heels.
Warrior I Virabhadrasana IRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion; front knee flexion; back hip extension; shoulder flexion; mild spinal extension
Key alignment: Square the hips toward the front of the mat and bend the front knee over the ankle.
Warrior II Virabhadrasana IISacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; front knee flexion; back hip extension; shoulder abduction
Key alignment: Track the front knee over the second toe, open the hips to the long edge of the mat, and gaze over the front hand.
Reverse Warrior Viparita VirabhadrasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; front knee flexion; lateral spinal flexion; top shoulder flexion and abduction
Key alignment: Keep the front knee bent and steady while the torso arcs back — the bend lives in the side body, not the knee.
Extended Side Angle Utthita ParsvakonasanaRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; front knee flexion; lateral spinal flexion; top shoulder flexion
Key alignment: Front knee over the ankle, with the body in one long line from the back heel to the top fingertips.
Triangle Pose TrikonasanaRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; lateral spinal flexion with rotation; shoulder abduction (both arms); knee extension (both legs)
Key alignment: Both legs straight and active, hips stacked open, and the top hand reaching up out of a long bottom side body.
Crescent Lunge AnjaneyasanaSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion; front knee flexion; back hip extension; shoulder flexion; mild spinal extension
Key alignment: Front knee over the ankle, back heel lifted, hips squared forward and level.
Runner's LungeSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion; front knee flexion; back hip extension; back knee extension; back ankle plantarflexion (heel lifted)
Key alignment: Front knee over the ankle, back leg long and strong with the heel lifted, fingertips framing the front foot.
Tree Pose VrksasanaRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: standing hip and knee extension; lifted hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; lifted knee flexion
Key alignment: Press the lifted foot and the inner thigh into each other, and keep the standing hip from pushing out to the side.
Eagle Pose GarudasanaRoot (Muladhara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip adduction and flexion (both legs); knee flexion; shoulder flexion and horizontal adduction; elbow flexion; slight spinal flexion
Key alignment: Squeeze the legs and arms toward the midline and sit the hips low with a long, rounded upper back.
Dancer's Pose NatarajasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: lifted hip extension; lifted knee flexion; spinal extension; shoulder flexion (reaching arm); standing hip and knee extension
Key alignment: Kick the lifted foot into the hand to open the chest, keeping the hips square to the front of the mat.
Standing Forward Fold UttanasanaSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee extension; spinal flexion; slight ankle dorsiflexion
Key alignment: Hinge from the hips with the weight even in the feet, and bend the knees as much as the hamstrings ask for.
Ragdoll Uttanasana (variation)Sacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee flexion (soft); spinal flexion; shoulder flexion (arms hang)
Key alignment: Let the torso hang heavy with soft knees, holding opposite elbows and swaying gently side to side.
Halfway Lift Ardha UttanasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee extension; spinal extension (neutral, lengthened)
Key alignment: Lengthen the spine flat like a tabletop, shoulder blades drawn together, gaze just ahead of the fingertips.
Gorilla Pose PadahastasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee extension (or a soft micro-bend); spinal flexion; wrist extension (hands under the feet)
Key alignment: Slide the hands fully under the feet, toes to wrist creases, and let the gentle pull deepen the fold.
Wide-Leg Forward Fold Prasarita PadottanasanaSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion and abduction; knee extension; spinal flexion; ankle dorsiflexion
Key alignment: Feet parallel and legs strong, fold from the hips with the crown of the head reaching toward the floor.
Seated Forward Fold PaschimottanasanaSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee extension; spinal flexion; ankle dorsiflexion (feet flexed)
Key alignment: Lead with the chest and hinge from the hips rather than rounding from the waist.
Cobra Pose BhujangasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal extension; hip extension; shoulder extension; partial elbow extension
Key alignment: Press the tops of the feet down, roll the shoulders back, and lift the chest with the back muscles more than the arms.
Upward Facing Dog Urdhva Mukha SvanasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal extension; hip extension; knee extension; shoulder extension; elbow extension; wrist extension
Key alignment: Thighs and knees hover off the floor, arms straight, and the chest rolls forward through the arms.
Locust Pose ShalabhasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal extension; hip extension; knee extension; shoulder extension
Key alignment: Reach the legs long behind you and lift from the back body, keeping the neck neutral.
Bow Pose DhanurasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal extension; hip extension; knee flexion; shoulder extension
Key alignment: Kick the feet into the hands to lift the chest and thighs, balancing on the soft part of the belly.
Camel Pose UstrasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal extension; hip extension; knee flexion (kneeling); shoulder extension
Key alignment: Press the hips forward over the knees and lift the chest up before leaning back.
Bridge Pose Setu Bandha SarvangasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip extension; knee flexion; segmental spinal extension; shoulder extension and external rotation
Key alignment: Feet hip-width and parallel, press through the heels, and lift the hips while the knees track forward.
Wheel Pose Urdhva DhanurasanaHeart (Anahata)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal extension; hip extension; shoulder flexion; elbow extension; wrist extension
Key alignment: Set the hands by the ears with fingers toward the shoulders, press through hands and feet together, and keep the knees and elbows tracking straight.
Half Pigeon Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (prep)Sacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip flexion, external rotation and abduction; front knee flexion; back hip extension; spinal extension (upright version)
Key alignment: Angle the front shin across the mat, reach the back leg long behind, and keep the hips level and squared to the floor.
Reclined Bound Angle Supta Baddha KonasanaSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip abduction and external rotation; knee flexion; spinal neutral (supine)
Key alignment: Soles of the feet together and knees wide — support the outer thighs with props if the hips pull or the low back arches.
Happy Baby Ananda BalasanaSacral (Svadhisthana)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; knee flexion; gentle spinal flexion (supine); shoulder flexion
Key alignment: Hold the outer edges of the feet, knees toward the armpits, and press the whole low back into the floor.
Revolved Crescent Lunge Parivrtta AnjaneyasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: front hip and knee flexion; back hip extension; spinal rotation; shoulder horizontal adduction (prayer press)
Key alignment: Keep the hips square and the front knee stable while the spine rotates and the elbow presses the outer thigh.
Prayer Twist Parivrtta UtkatasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee flexion; ankle dorsiflexion; spinal rotation; shoulder horizontal adduction (prayer press)
Key alignment: Knees together and level, hips low like Chair, and the elbow pressing the outer thigh as the chest rotates open.
Supine Twist Jathara ParivartanasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal rotation; hip adduction and flexion (legs crossed over); shoulder abduction (open arm)
Key alignment: Keep both shoulders grounded, and let the knees fall only as far as the opposite shoulder stays down.
Boat Pose NavasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee extension; spinal extension (neutral, chest up); shoulder flexion (arms reach forward)
Key alignment: Ground the sit bones, lift the chest, and lengthen the legs — a straight back matters more than straight knees.
Plank Pose PhalakasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal neutral; hip and knee extension; shoulder flexion (90 degrees); elbow extension; wrist extension; ankle dorsiflexion
Key alignment: One long line from heels to crown, hands under the shoulders, belly drawn in so the low back does not sag.
Chaturanga Chaturanga DandasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: elbow flexion (to about 90 degrees); shoulder extension (upper arms parallel to the floor); spinal neutral; hip and knee extension; wrist extension
Key alignment: Lower only until the upper arms are parallel to the floor, elbows hugging the ribs, the body in one plank line.
Side Plank VasisthasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal neutral (lateral stability); hip abduction; shoulder abduction (support arm); elbow extension; wrist extension
Key alignment: Stack the hips and shoulders, set the support wrist under the shoulder, and lift the waist away from the floor.
Crow Pose BakasanaSolar Plexus (Manipura)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal flexion; hip flexion; knee flexion; shoulder flexion and protraction; elbow flexion; wrist extension
Key alignment: Plant the hands wide, rest the knees high on the upper arms, gaze forward, and lean until the feet float.
Downward Facing Dog Adho Mukha SvanasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; knee extension; spinal extension (long, neutral); shoulder flexion; elbow extension; wrist extension; ankle dorsiflexion
Key alignment: Press the floor away, send the hips up and back, and keep the spine long even if the knees bend and the heels lift.
Shoulder Stand Salamba SarvangasanaThroat (Vishuddha)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: cervical spine flexion; hip extension; knee extension; elbow flexion; shoulder extension (arms support the back)
Key alignment: Reach the legs straight up over a base of shoulders and upper arms, hands walking up the back — the weight stays off the neck.
Child's Pose BalasanaThird Eye (Ajna)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion; full knee flexion; spinal flexion; shoulder flexion (arms forward) or extension (arms back); ankle plantarflexion
Key alignment: Knees wide or together, hips sinking toward the heels, forehead resting down — a pose to return to at any time.
Corpse Pose SavasanaCrown (Sahasrara)Muscles & alignment +Joint actions: spinal neutral (resting); hip extension (resting); shoulder external rotation (palms up)
Key alignment: Lie flat with the legs and arms resting open, and let every muscle stop trying.
Easy Pose SukhasanaMuscles & alignment +Joint actions: hip flexion, abduction and external rotation; knee flexion; spinal extension (neutral, tall)
Key alignment: Cross the shins, sit on the front edge of a folded blanket if the knees float, and grow tall through the crown of the head.
Reading anatomy is step one. Step two is recall — Pose IQ's anatomy rounds pull from the same material: muscles, joint actions, alignment.
Pose Anatomy is an educational study reference. Muscle actions are the standard primary actions taught in yoga teacher training; individual bodies vary, and nothing here is medical advice. Practice within your own limits, and check with a qualified teacher or clinician if you have a health concern.