Should You Lock Your Knees in Yoga?

Trish Corley Author

Explore the cue "lock your knees in yoga". Examine anatomical implications, potential risks, and better alternatives.

Lock Your Knees in Yoga? A Look at the Impact of This Common Yoga Cue

There I was, deep into a standing forward fold with my hands wrapped around my heels, listening to the yoga teacher say “lock your knees, lock your knees, lock your knees.” With each reiteration of the cue, I pushed the back of my knees further to the back of the room. My focus was not so much on what I was feeling, but rather if my knees were locking. To me, lock your knees in yoga meant to keep moving until my joints couldn’t move anymore; until they were locked.

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I was pretty new to yoga at the time, and despite being an expert in human movement and understanding biomechanics really well, I listened to the teacher. And of course, I interpreted their words to mean extend my knees as much as possible. New to yoga and asana, I trusted the teachers and did what they said.

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As my practice evolved and I started teaching, I started paying more attention to the cueing that was taking place and asking what I now believe is the most important question: “why?”

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Why should I lock my knees in yoga? The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wasn’t sure what the teachers actually meant by “lock your knees.”

Years later, I am still curious about the cue “lock your knees in yoga.”

What is your take on the verbal cue "lock your knees in yoga”? Many yoga teachers, including myself, now avoid using this phrase due to the potential for misunderstanding and misuse of it.

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As with any verbal cue that is commonly used, I wonder about its origin. Where did this cue come from? And what did the original user mean by it?

I like to assume that somewhere in the history of yoga, a teacher had good intentions and started saying “lock your knees in yoga.” And then, whether it’s a positively effective cue or not, other teachers started using it too. Cues get passed down from one teacher to the next.

Unfortunately, cues often get passed down and are used without understanding why they are used.

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Let’s look closer at the cue “Lock your knees in yoga.”

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When improperly executed, as was the case for me as a newer yoga student, "locking" the knees can lead to hyperextension and unbalanced stress on the knees. However, when understood and applied correctly, the concept behind this cue can foster stability, strength, and healthy functional mobility.

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Based on what I’ve seen and heard over the years, many people do move towards or into hyperextension when they are instructed to lock their knees. Perhaps you do too? And perhaps it’s time to stop?

This article delves into the anatomical basis of joint locking and explores how to apply this concept safely in your yoga practice and teaching.

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The Anatomy of Locking the Knee Joints

To comprehend the implications of "locking" the joints, it's essential to understand the anatomy involved.

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 Joints are where two or more bones meet, facilitating movement and providing mechanical support. They are stabilized by a combination of ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

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The Knee Joint

The knee joint is a modified hinge joint, primarily allowing flexion and extension and a small amount of rotation. It is supported by strong ligaments like the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and muscles such as the quadriceps and hamstrings.

When the knee is bent, it is said to be in the position of flexion. When the knee is straight, it is said to be in extension. Hyperextension of the knee occurs when the knee is extended beyond 180 degrees. You can think of hyperextension of the knee as beyond straight.

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Is Hyperextension of the Knee a Problem?

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Many people have increased laxity in their ligaments and can simply extend their knees beyond straight. This in itself is not a problem, so there is no need to freak out if you experience or see hyperextension of the knees during yoga practice. In fact, hyperextension of the knees exists in many healthy individuals, including professional athletes.

So why, then, do I avoid using the cue to “lock your knees in yoga?” If students do push into hyperextension, they do place unnecessary stress on the ligaments and posterior capsule of the knee. It is possible that, over time, that undue stress can lead to further instability of the knee.

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The Cue Is Not the Problem. The Problem is the Misinterpreting of the Cue.

When students hear "lock your knees in yoga," they might, like me years ago, interpret it as pushing the joint to its maximum extension and relying on the passive structures (ligaments, joint capsules, and even the bones themselves) rather than engaging the surrounding muscles. This leads to the possibility of compromising the integrity of the joint. More importantly, it diminishes the active muscular engagement necessary for stability and strength. In other words, it allows the student to “hang out” on the ligaments and bony structure and they don’t really have to use their own muscles!

They miss out on getting to use their muscles!

I’m more concerned about the missed opportunity of building strength and stability in the knees than I am about causing harm to the knees.

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An Alternative View of Locking Your Knees: Muscular Engagement and Isometric Contraction

The concept behind "locking" the joints can be beneficial if understood as creating muscular action on either side of the joint, resulting in a stable isometric contraction. I think the original users of this cue were aiming to help students isometrically contract muscles on either side of the knee joint. 

Isometric contractions occur when muscles generate force without changing length. In other words, the fibers of the muscles contract, but the joint remains stable. If muscles on either side of the joint isometrically contract at the same time, it creates a stabilizing effect on the joint. This approach builds strength and supports joint stability, promoting healthy functional mobility.

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Knee Joint Engagement of the Muscles Around the Knee

In postures like Tadasana (Mountain Pose) or Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), rather than pushing the knees back into hyperextension, focus on engaging the muscles on either side of the joint, specifically the quadriceps (front of thigh) and hamstrings (back of thigh).

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How can you get the muscles on either side of the joint to engage? Here’s a hint: It takes more than just saying “engage your quadriceps and hamstrings.” Most students will not know what to do when you say that!

Just like they might get really confused when you say “lock your knees in yoga,” they get confused with the cue to “engage.” Clear and specific cues are necessary!
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There is not just one good cue to use and the best cue will depend on the posture and the individual. That being said, when I observe students with hyperextension of the knees, I usually cue them to “micro bend your knee(s)” OR “put a very small bend in your knees.” This will often lead to activation of the hamstrings to flex the knee and the quadriceps to control the flexion of the knee.

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Conclusion

While the cue "lock your knees in yoga" might have a place in certain contexts, it seems more confusing than it does useful. With any cue, it is crucial to understand the intention behind the cue and to be looking at how the cue lands in your body or students' bodies.

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Do you want clear, effective, anatomy-informed cues that can be used in any posture to build a balance of strength and mobility? Grab the 16 Anatomy Informed Yoga Cues You Can Use Now!
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These are the exact cues I use in my yoga anatomy courses and yoga teacher trainings to ensure teachers are confident with teaching anatomy informed yoga!

Go from “I can’t learn anatomy” to teaching anatomy informed yoga classes. Your students will not only feel safe, but excited to learn from you and keep coming back!

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Categories: : cueing, Knee, Yoga Anatomy