Bandhas: the three locks, explained

Locks appear early in the hatha texts and late in most people's practice, which is the right order. They are not difficult to describe and genuinely difficult to do well, and the gap between those two facts is where injuries and disappointment live.

What a bandha is

A deliberate contraction, held for a defined period, usually in coordination with holding the breath in or out. The tradition describes them as directing prana; anatomically, they change pressure in the abdomen and pelvis and give the breath something to work against.

The three locks

• Mula bandha, the root lock. A lifting contraction at the pelvic floor, between the pubic bone and the tailbone. Subtle when done well — the whole belly should not grip, and the buttocks should not join in.
• Uddiyana bandha, the upward flying lock. After a full exhale, the abdomen is drawn back and up under the ribs while the breath is held out. Practised on an empty stomach, standing or seated, and never with the breath held in.
• Jalandhara bandha, the throat lock. The chin is drawn towards the notch between the collarbones while the spine stays long, usually during breath retention. It protects the ears and head from pressure during held breaths.

Maha bandha

All three together, held after an exhale with the breath out, is called maha bandha, the great lock. It is taught last, and it is the clearest example of why the order matters: each lock is simple alone and demanding in combination.

When a teacher introduces them

In our teaching, the locks come after a student is comfortable sitting upright for a while, can breathe slowly without strain, and has some experience of retention. That is usually months of regular practice rather than weeks, and on the 200-hour training they arrive well into the month rather than in the first days.

The reason is simple. A lock held with a tight jaw, a braced belly or a held-up breath teaches the body a pattern that then has to be unlearned.

Who should leave them alone for now

Traditionally, uddiyana bandha and breath retention are not practised during pregnancy, during menstruation, or on a full stomach. Anyone with high blood pressure, heart conditions, glaucoma, a hernia or recent abdominal surgery should speak to their doctor before practising retention or abdominal locks at all, and should learn them in person rather than from a screen.

None of that makes the practice dangerous in itself. It makes it a practice with prerequisites, like most things worth learning slowly.

If you are earlier in the journey, pranayama for beginners is the right place to start, and what Hatha Yoga actually is sets out where the locks sit in the wider practice.

Common questions

What are the three bandhas in yoga?

Mula bandha at the pelvic floor, uddiyana bandha drawing the abdomen back and up under the ribs after an exhale, and jalandhara bandha at the throat with the chin drawn towards the collarbones. Together they are called maha bandha.

When should beginners learn bandhas?

After the breath is steady and sitting upright is comfortable, which usually means months of regular practice rather than weeks, and with a teacher watching rather than from a video.

Is uddiyana bandha safe?

For most healthy practitioners, taught properly and on an empty stomach, yes. It is traditionally avoided during pregnancy and menstruation, and anyone with high blood pressure, heart conditions, glaucoma, a hernia or recent abdominal surgery should speak to a doctor first.

Do I need bandhas to practise Hatha Yoga?

No. A complete and worthwhile practice of asana, pranayama and meditation exists long before the locks are introduced. They deepen the practice; they do not begin it.