Low Lunge is a crucial yoga pose for athletes—it stretches the hip flexors, including the psoas, and the quads, opens up the hips, alleviates pressure on the lower back and counteracts the effects of sitting and repetitive training. I recommend you practice it after every workout. Keeping your back knee down makes this pose more accessible than High Lunge, where the back knee lifts off the mat in the more dynamic, standing variation.
LOW LUNGE BENEFITS
- Stretches the hip flexors (including the psoas) and quad of your back leg as your hip extends and your knee bends underneath you.
- Opens up the hips.
- Can help relieve lower back pain — tight hip flexors pull on the lower back.
- Counteracts the effects of sitting and repetitive training.
- Improves stride length and running efficiency.
CATEGORY
SKILL LEVEL
- Beginner
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set-Up
Come into Downward Dog.
- Action
Step your right foot in between your hands, drop your left knee and release your back foot. Come up and rest both hands on your front thigh. Relax into the pose.
- Refinements
Check that your front knee is directly over your front ankle. And draw your lower abs in to protect your lower back.
- Modification
You can put a cushion under your back knee.
- Duration
Stay in the pose for 3-5 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
- To Release
Take a deep breath in. Exhale, bring your hands to the mat, tuck your back toes and step back to Downward Dog for the other side.
SIDE-BENDING VARIATION: Low Lunge with Sidebend
This variation of Low Lunge deepens the stretch in the hip flexors, stretches the TFL, obliques, intercostals, serratus anterior and shoulders, increases spinal flexibility, releases tension in the neck and shoulders and improves breathing capacity.
- From Low Lunge with your left foot forward, drop your left fingertips to the mat, reach your right arm up and over, alongside your ear, and bend to the left. Keep your chest open and reach through your fingertips. If your left fingertips don’t reach the mat, you can rest them on a block.
TWISTING VARIATION: Low Lunge with Twist
- From Low Lunge with your left foot forward. Inhale to lengthen your spine, then exhale and twist your torso to the left, resting your right elbow on your front thigh. Keep your hips squared to the front of the mat and use your back foot to help you balance.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Avoid Low Lunge if you have an ankle, knee or hip injury.
MASTER LOW LUNGE
If you’d like to practise Low Lunge as part of a sequence, watch End Of Day Stretch—a 15-minute guided practice designed to release the hip flexors and unwind tension throughout your body. This video can be accessed along with my full library of 360+ videos as part of the 14-Day Free Trial.
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