Bandhas in yoga: how to do the three locks safely

Bandhas in yoga are "locks": light, precise muscle contractions at the pelvic floor, the abdomen and the throat, usually held together with the breath. Hatha yoga texts describe them as ways to hold and direct prana (life force); in modern terms, they train fine control of the pelvic floor, diaphragm and neck. Here is how to do each one, when to practice, and who should skip it.

What are bandhas in yoga? Meaning and purpose

Bandha is Sanskrit for "lock" or "hold". The bandhas in yoga meaning is close to a valve, and that is their types and purpose in short: each one gently closes one area to change pressure and breath flow in the trunk. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century) lists the three main bandhas among its ten key mudras, which is why the types of bandhas and mudras are usually taught together.

How many bandhas are there in yoga?

There are three main locks, often called the 3 bandhas: Mula (root), Uddiyana (abdominal) and Jalandhara (chin). When you hold all three at once it is called Maha Bandha, the "great lock", so some books speak of 4 bandhas in yoga. Modern vinyasa teachers sometimes add hand and foot "locks" (hasta and pada bandha), but these are alignment cues rather than classical bandhas.

Before you start: when to practice

• Empty stomach. Wait 3–4 hours after a meal. Morning, before breakfast, is ideal. This matters most for Uddiyana.
• After poses, before meditation. Practice bandhas once your body is warm and your breath is calm, then sit quietly.
• Short and light. Start with a few seconds per hold and three rounds. Strain, dizziness or a pounding head means stop.
• Learn from a teacher where you can, especially the breath-held versions.

Mula Bandha (root lock)

What is Mula Bandha? The Mula Bandha meaning is "root lock" (mula means root or base). It is a gentle lift of the pelvic floor, the hammock of muscles between the pubic bone and the tailbone. For men the focus is the perineum; for women, it is a little further back and up, near the cervix.

How to do Mula Bandha

1. Sit tall in Easy pose or Siddhasana, hands on your knees.
2. Breathe normally and notice your pelvic floor resting on the ground.
3. As you breathe out, gently draw the pelvic floor up and in, as if stopping the flow of urine, at about 20–30% effort.
4. Hold the lift for a few breaths while keeping your belly, buttocks and jaw soft.
5. Release fully and rest for a few breaths. Repeat five to ten times.

Mula bandha breathing is simple: engage slightly on the exhale, soften on the inhale, until you can keep a light hold while breathing freely. The mula bandha muscles are mainly the levator ani group of the pelvic floor, so the exercise is close to a gentle Kegel, but lighter and more central.

Mula Bandha and Ashwini mudra

Ashwini mudra is a repeated squeeze and release of the anal sphincter. Mula Bandha is a steady, subtler lift further forward. If you wonder how to teach Mula Bandha, many teachers start with Ashwini mudra so students can find the area. Do not confuse either with Mula Bandhasana, an advanced seated pose.

Mula Bandha benefits

Mula Bandha benefits are mostly awareness and control of the pelvic floor, which supports the bladder, bowel and core; pelvic floor training has good evidence for stress urinary incontinence. Traditionally it is also said to steady the mind. With pelvic pain, a very tight pelvic floor or in pregnancy, ask a pelvic health physiotherapist first, because relaxing these muscles matters as much as lifting them.

Uddiyana Bandha (upward abdominal lock)

The Uddiyana Bandha meaning is "flying-up lock": the abdomen and diaphragm are drawn upward under the ribs. Uddiyana bandha, how to pronounce: oo-dee-YAA-nuh BUN-dhuh. It is done only with the breath held out, so it is the most demanding lock.

Uddiyana Bandha steps

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands on your thighs just above the knees.
2. Breathe in through the nose, then breathe out fully through the mouth, emptying the lungs.
3. Keep the breath out. Tuck your chin slightly and make a "false inhale": expand the ribs as if breathing in, but let no air enter.
4. The belly will draw in and up under the ribs by itself. Hold for 5–10 seconds without straining.
5. Relax the belly first, then lift your head and breathe in slowly. Rest a few breaths between rounds; start with three.

Uddiyana bandha breathing needs a calm rhythm between rounds; if you gasp on the in-breath, the hold was too long.

Uddiyana Bandha benefits

Traditional texts praise it for digestion and vitality. Practically, it builds control of the diaphragm and deep abdominal muscles and is the base for nauli, described in our Shatkarma guide. Claims that it cures constipation or belly fat have not been tested well.

Do not practice Uddiyana Bandha if you are pregnant or during your period, or if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia, a stomach or intestinal ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, or recent abdominal or eye surgery. Never do it on a full stomach.

Uddiyana in vinyasa yoga

When teachers cue bandhas in vinyasa yoga or Ashtanga, "Uddiyana" usually means a light draw-in of the lower belly while you keep breathing, not the breath-held lock above.

Jalandhara Bandha (chin lock)

Jala means "net" and dhara means "holding", so the Jalandhara Bandha meaning is often given as "the lock that holds the net of channels" in the neck. How to pronounce Jalandhara Bandha: jaa-lun-DHUH-ruh BUN-dhuh. It is the chin lock used in pranayama during an inner breath hold.

How to do Jalandhara Bandha

1. Sit tall with your hands on your knees and your shoulders relaxed.
2. Breathe in to about 80% of your capacity and hold the breath.
3. Lift your chest slightly and lower your chin toward the notch between the collarbones. Keep the back of the neck long; do not force the chin down.
4. Hold only as long as is comfortable, a few seconds at first.
5. Lift your head first, then breathe out slowly.

In Jalandhara Bandha pranayama, the chin lock is used with breath retention in practices such as Nadi Shodhana and Kevala Kumbhaka. Iyengar yoga teaches it in seated pranayama with the chest well lifted, and the same neck position forms naturally in Jalandhara Bandha poses like Shoulder Stand, Plow and Bridge.

Jalandhara Bandha benefits and cautions

Jalandhara Bandha benefits, according to yoga texts, include calming the mind and stopping pressure rising to the head during a breath hold. Avoid it with a neck injury or cervical spondylosis, and skip the breath hold if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.

Maha Bandha: the three locks together

Maha Bandha combines all three with the breath held out. Sit in a stable cross-legged pose, breathe out fully, then apply Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Mula, in that order. Hold for a few seconds, then release in reverse: Mula, Uddiyana, Jalandhara. Lift your head and breathe in slowly. This is an advanced practice with every caution listed for Uddiyana; learn the three locks separately first.

Mula Bandha vs Uddiyana Bandha

Mula Bandha is small and can be held while you breathe. Uddiyana Bandha involves the whole abdomen and is done only with empty lungs. For bandhas yoga for beginners, learn Mula first.

Bandhas, chakras and the feeling of warmth

In the traditional map of yoga, bandhas sit near energy points (chakras): Mula near the root, Uddiyana near the navel, and the Jalandhara Bandha chakra is the throat center. See our guide to the 7 chakras. Can bandhas in yoga keep you warm? Many people feel warmer, because holding muscles and breath takes effort, and the texts describe the locks as creating inner heat. It is a sensation, not a sign of detox.

After fast breathing like Kapalbhati or Bhastrika, teachers often add a gentle Mula Bandha in the pause. Slow Ujjayi breath pairs well with a light root lock in flowing classes.