23 – Leg Behind the Neck (Kubi no ushiro ni kakeru)¶
Name¶
Kubi no ushiro ni kakeru (首の後ろに掛ける)
Leg behind the neck
Instructions (Romaji)¶
Hai, ashi kakete.
Lift and place the leg.
Kubi no ushiro ni.
Behind the neck.
Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, kyū, jū.
Counting¶
Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, kyū, jū
Description¶
The practitioner sits with one leg extended while the other leg is lifted using the hands.
The leg is brought up and placed behind the neck, or as high as possible depending on mobility.
The movement originates from the hip, assisted by the hands.
Once the position is established, it is held steadily while the upper body remains upright or leans slightly forward.
The position can be deepened with small controlled pulses.
The exercise is then repeated on the opposite side.
Purpose¶
- develop hip mobility
- stretch glutes and hamstrings
- improve the ability to lift the leg high
- prepare for advanced kicking techniques
Key Technical Points¶
- initiate the movement from the hip
- maintain a long spine
- arms assist without pulling forcefully
- avoid loading the knee joint
- work within your own range of motion
Safety¶
- never force the position
- avoid stress on the knee joint
- stop if pain occurs
- adapt the exercise to your level
Comment¶
This is an advanced exercise and can be modified by keeping the leg in front of the body instead.