Mobility · Yoga
Fire Log Pose
Fire Log Pose is a seated hip stretch with one shin stacked over the other. It stretches the outer hips and glutes while practicing outward rotation at the hips.
- Intermediate
- Low injury risk
- No rest timer
How to do it
- Sit on your mat with your legs extended in front of you.
- Bend your right leg so your right shin lies roughly parallel to the front edge of the mat.
- Place your left shin over your right, positioning your left ankle above your right knee and your left knee above your right ankle.
- Hold the stacked-leg position with your torso upright.
- Lift your top leg out of the stack with your hands supporting the knee and ankle.
- Extend your bottom leg to return to the starting position.
Form cues
- Keep both sitting bones grounded
- Keep your feet gently active
- Breathe slowly into the stretch
Common mistakes
- Pressing the top knee downLet the knee stay raised, resting it on a block or folded blanket if needed.
- Slumping backwardSit on a folded blanket to make an upright position easier.
- Forcing a perfect stackMove the top foot forward onto the mat if stacking creates more than a mild hip stretch.
Safety
Forcing the legs into position can twist the knees when the hips cannot rotate far enough. Pressure from the stacked legs can also irritate the ankles.
- Begin with a few minutes of comfortable walking or gentle hip movement.
- Stop the hold if you feel knee pain, ankle pain, hip pinching, or numbness.
- Use light padding between the ankle and lower leg if contact feels uncomfortable.
If you have a current knee or hip injury or a recent surgery, choose an easier version and ask a physiotherapist or doctor before attempting the stacked position.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Yoga Blanket (optional)
- Yoga Block (optional)
- Yoga Mat
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 1–2
- Target
- 20–30 seconds per side
- Rest
- No rest timer
Repeat with the opposite shin on top; each side may need a different amount of support.