Rabbit Pose: yoga for the head, neck and shoulders
- Liquid Yoga
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
Personal practice notes: this week I have mainly been practicing… Rabbit pose or Sarsangasana.
If you spend a lot of time looking at a computer, driving or looking at a screen (I think that’s most of us covered there!) then it’s likely that at some point you’ve also experienced upper back, shoulder or neck pain as a result of “text neck” posture.
I’ve been getting upper back and shoulder pain on and off for most of my adult life, historically associated with the habit of carrying a shoulder bag, which fortunately now has been almost entirely replaced by my phone which exists as my wallet, notebook, bus pass and more.
Unfortunately though increased use of the phone screen and long hours of sitting at a desk (even with ergonomic adjustments) means that my chin ends up jutting forward, pulling on my upper back. I’d love to jettison the long hours of computer use but, in reality, it’s not going to happen. So it’s time to look at a serious counter stretching yoga pose.
What is Rabbit Pose?
Rabbit pose aka sarsangasana is a yoga pose similar to child’s pose (balasana) but with the added stretch factor of rolling onto the crown of the head, shifting the knees forward and bringing the hips up towards the sky. Variations include drawing the hands together reaching overhead (then you really see the rabbit reference!) or grabbing the heels to provide a more intense stretch.
Rabbit pose targets compression on the front of the body as you curl your chin in towards your knees, whilst stretching the back of the torso, particularly the neck and upper back.
Who should be practicing Rabbit Pose?
Rabbit pose is great for anyone who wants to release their upper back and back of the neck. As mentioned above, pretty much all of us will develop some tension associated with technology use, so a regular counter movement is a great idea. This pose is also great for weightlifters who put a lot effort into rows and presses.
Anyone with existing shoulder or neck injuries should approach rabbit pose only with the agreement of their medical professional and with the support of a qualified yoga teacher. A less intense alternative is balasana or child’s pose with your arms alongside your body.
How can you practice rabbit pose?
Rabbit pose is a staple in the Bikram or 26 & 2 hot yoga sequence, usually practiced in 40 degree heat, along with a set sequence of other poses and pranayama exercises.
However you don’t need to do hot yoga to get the benefits of this pose. Many hatha yoga classes designed to relieve shoulder & neck tension will offer this pose or you can get a 1-1 session with a teacher who can take you through it specifically.
You’ll also find some online tutorials from well known internet yoga teachers (including this one from Adriene) but just be careful with practicing without personalised support if you have any neck or shoulder injuries; in general I wouldn’t recommend it.
How long should you hold rabbit pose?
As an active posture, I’d recommend starting with holding for 2-3 breaths or as long as you can reasonably sustain (if that’s less that 2 breaths). As you practice over time, you can work up to 5 or more breaths, as long as the breaths are smooth and free. I would not recommend holding this pose for more than 10 breaths. If you’d like a longer held pose that targets the neck and upper back then snail is the yin yoga pose for you!
How can you use props for rabbit pose?
Props are great for rabbit pose.
To begin with, I recommend kneeling on a folded yoga blanket to support your knees (which is good even if you don’t already have knee issues, and if you do it’s a huge improvement).
You can place your head on a block for rabbit pose. I like a flatter cork block as it’s quite solid for moving my head against, but if you would like a softer feel you can use a foam block, and if you need more height to feel comfortable you can use a more square block. If you simply want a softer surface without added height you may spread the blanket out into the space beneath your head too.
Depending which variation of rabbit pose you want to practice, you can use a yoga belt too. In the version where you might grab your heels, the belt can be used to loop around the bottom of your heels in order to extend your reach. Pull back on the belt and maybe eventually grab your heels or just keep tension in the belt as you push your hips upward and stretch.
Which other poses work with rabbit pose?
As with all yoga poses, there are complimentary opposites. You can pair rabbit pose with any backwards bending postures, including ustrasana (camel pose) and bhujangasana (cobra pose). Adding a twist like thread the needle or supine twist on both sides will complete the set and give you a well rounded set of movements for the shoulders, neck and head.
How often should you practice rabbit pose?
You can practice rabbit pose daily as long as you have a suitable set of other movements to balance it with. 3-4 times per week is probably optimal to relieve tension associated with driving or screen use. If you notice neck pain or issues associated with practice then you should discontinue the pose until you have consulted a physio or osteopath.
Want to try rabbit pose? Practice with me now!
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