Two Hands Hold the Feet

两手攀足固肾腰 · Liǎng Shǒu Pān Zú Gù Shèn Yāo · Movement 06 of 8

Raise the arms overhead, then fold forward from the hips and run the hands down the legs as far as is comfortable before rolling slowly back up. Unlike many forward folds, the emphasis here is on the return, which is done one vertebra at a time. In the seated version the fold happens from a chair, which makes it far easier to control the depth.

Works on: hamstrings, lower back, spine
Time: 1 min
Difficulty: Moderate
Seated version: Yes

The standing version of Two Hands Hold the Feet

Stand with both knees straight, turn the fingertips of both palms forward and raise both arms forward and upward, elbows straightening and the palms facing forward. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, rotate both arms outward so the palms face each other, then bend the elbows and press both palms down in front of the face to rest in front of the chest, palms facing down and fingertips facing each other. Keep the hands low and the elbows high, the elbows about level with the shoulders, so that they are set to pass behind the armpits. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, rotate both arms outward again so the palms face up, turn the fingertips inward and sweep both hands back through the armpits. Keep the hands low rather than passing them high behind the shoulders. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, lay both palms flat against the back and slide them down along either side of the spine to the buttocks, keeping the upper body upright and the gaze level forward; only fold forward once the hands are below the buttocks and the elbows are nearly straight.
Continuing without pause, fold the upper body forward and keep both palms sliding down the back of the legs to the ankles, then let them run round the outside of both feet to the little toes, and rotate the wrists to rest the palms on the tops of the feet with the fingers facing forward. Look downwards.
Keeping both palms still on the feet, hollow the lower back, lift the seat and raise the head slightly. Then let both palms travel forward and upward along the floor and reach far forward, and use the arms to raise the upper body to horizontal. Look forwards and down.
Continuing without pause, carry both arms further forward and upward until they are above the head as the upper body comes up standing, the two palms about shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward and fingertips pointing up. Keep the gaze forward.

Breathing

Exhale as you fold forward, inhale as you roll up. Never hold the breath at your lowest point.

The seated version

This is the part most other guides leave out. If standing for a full round is difficult, uncomfortable or simply not something you want to do today, the movement still works from a chair.

Sit forward on the chair with both feet flat and the heels down, and place the hands on the thighs. The standing form keeps both knees straight; from a chair they stay slightly bent, which is the chair adaptation and the reason is to take the hamstrings out of the stretch rather than pull on them.
Turn the fingertips of both palms forward and raise both arms forward and upward, straightening the elbows with the palms facing forward. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, rotate both arms outward so the palms face each other, then bend the elbows and press both palms down past the face to rest in front of the chest, palms facing down and fingertips facing each other. Keep the hands low and the elbows high, the elbows about level with the shoulders, so that they are set to pass behind the armpits. This low, high-elbow position is the one that lets the hands reach the armpits afterwards, so do not press the palms up towards the chin. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, rotate both arms outward again so the palms face up, turn the fingertips inward and sweep both hands back through the armpits. Keep the hands low rather than passing them high behind the shoulders. This needs the shoulder joints to turn inward and the elbows to open, not to reach the floor, so it works the same way from a chair. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, lay both palms flat against the back and slide them down along either side of the spine to the buttocks, keeping the upper body upright and the gaze level forward. The upright torso here is what protects the back, so do not drop the head to watch the hands. Only fold forward once the hands are below the buttocks and the elbows are nearly straight.
Fold forward from the hip and keep both palms sliding down the backs of the legs toward the ankles. The back of the chair is your limit, not the floor. If the feet are within reach without rounding the back, carry on round the outside of both feet to the little toes and rotate the wrists to rest the palms on the tops of the feet with the fingers facing forward; if they are not within reach, keep the hands on the backs of the thighs, or on the shins and ankles, and go on to the next step with the hands wherever they are. Look downwards.
Keep the hands where they are, hollow the lower back, lift the front of the pelvis and raise the head slightly. The standing form lifts the seat clear of the floor; a seat cannot be lifted that way, so press through both feet to tip the pelvis and open the lower back instead, and keep both sitting bones down. Then reach both hands forward and upward as far as the chair allows, and let the arms lift the trunk rather than letting the back come up on its own. The two sources word this differently and both are kept: the group standard has the palms reach forward along the floor and use the arms to bring the upper body up to horizontal, while the 2018 correction text has the hands reach forward until the arms are beside the ears and then raise the body with the arms kept beside the ears. From a chair, reach as far as the seat allows and let the arms lift the trunk.
Continuing without pause, carry both arms further forward and upward until they are above the head as the upper body comes upright, the two palms about shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward and fingertips pointing up. Keep the gaze forward.
Repeat one to three times. On the return, the arms lead and the head lifts with them, and the spine comes up one section at a time.

Helpful cue

Fold forward from the hips, sliding the hands down the shins

Do not do this

Forcing the hands down to the floor or the ankles, which loads the lower back.
Standing up quickly from the fold, which can cause lightheadedness.
Locking the knees in the standing version.
Dropping the head to watch the hands while they slide down along the sides of the spine; keep the upper body upright and the gaze level forward until the hands are below the buttocks.
Passing the hands behind the armpits at too high a level, or raising the body before raising the arms on the way up.

Who should take extra care

Avoid folding deeply if you have an acute lower back injury, osteoporosis, or a recent hip replacement.
Stop and sit up slowly if you feel dizzy or lightheaded on the return.
Keep the knees softly bent if you have hamstring tightness.
The two sources phrase the rise differently and both are kept here: the group standard has the palms reach forward along the floor and use the arms to bring the upper body to horizontal and then up overhead, while the 2018 correction text has the hands reach forward until the arms are beside the ears and then raise the body with the arms kept beside the ears. Whichever wording you teach, the arms lead the body up and the head lifts first, before the arms come up.

Safety first

Ask your doctor before starting if you have heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, dizziness or fainting, a fall in the last 6 months, surgery in the last 3 months, diagnosed osteoporosis, a hip or knee replacement, a painful joint, or pregnancy.
Pain is a stop sign. Stop with burning, pressure or sharp pain; ordinary muscle tiredness is different from pain.
For seated work use a sturdy, armless, wheel-free chair with a firm seat against a wall. Keep both feet flat, and use a stable book under the foot if you need it.
For every standing or balance movement keep a fixed support within one arm's reach.
Never hold your breath. Breathe with the movement, and return to normal breathing when the effort rises.
If you feel dizzy, sit down, wait one minute, and end the session for that day.
Drink water, practise at least one hour after a meal, and use non-slip shoes or a non-slip bare-foot surface.
Use a comfortable range. Forward bends come from the hips with a long, neutral spine; avoid sudden twisting.
This programme is not medical treatment and does not replace physiotherapy.

What the research says

A 12-week brain imaging study reported that both Baduanjin and Tai Chi Chuan increased grey matter volume in older adults and improved visual reproduction subscores, with no significant difference between the two exercise groups.

Sources

General Administration of Sport of China, Health Qigong Centre, Common Errors in Baduanjin and How to Correct Them (per form)
Group standard for Baduanjin (Chinese Health Qigong Association / China Association of Chinese Medicine), graded movement breakdown — consulted via a government re-publication, 2026-06 (full citation not yet recorded)
Tao et al., Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin Increase Grey Matter Volume in Older Adults (2017)

Common questions

Can I do Two Hands Hold the Feet sitting down?

Yes. The seated adaptation keeps the hamstrings, lower back, spine work and removes the standing balance challenge. Both feet stay flat on the floor. The full seated steps are listed further down this page.

How long does Two Hands Hold the Feet take?

About 1 minute for one round at a slow pace. The quality of the movement matters more than the number of repetitions — move slowly enough that your breathing stays even and unforced.

What does Two Hands Hold the Feet work on?

It mainly involves the hamstrings, lower back, spine. In the traditional framing it belongs to the 两手攀足固肾腰 principle; practically, it is a slow mobilisation through that area rather than a strength exercise.

When should I be careful with Two Hands Hold the Feet?

Avoid folding deeply if you have an acute lower back injury, osteoporosis, or a recent hip replacement. Stop and sit up slowly if you feel dizzy or lightheaded on the return. Keep the knees softly bent if you have hamstring tightness. The two sources phrase the rise differently and both are kept here: the group standard has the palms reach forward along the floor and use the arms to bring the upper body to horizontal and then up overhead, while the 2018 correction text has the hands reach forward until the arms are beside the ears and then raise the body with the arms kept beside the ears. Whichever wording you teach, the arms lead the body up and the head lifts first, before the arms come up.

What else is Two Hands Hold the Feet called?

In Chinese it is 两手攀足固肾腰 (Liǎng Shǒu Pān Zú Gù Shèn Yāo). English sources use Two Hands Hold the Feet, Reach Toward the Feet, Hold Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Hands Hold the Feet. The movement is the same in every case.

Written by LiHe — practitioner, teacher and consultant in qigong and traditional health practice. Review status and sources are shown below where available.

This is general movement education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Read the full disclaimer.

The Chinese names are the traditional names of the movements. They are not medical claims, and this site does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-08
Movement data: Standing form follows the Chinese Fitness Qigong Association standard routine. The chair versions are this pack's own adaptation, written for a seated reader.. Version v0.5.