How long should you hold Lizard Pose, and how many rounds?

Hold 30 to 45 seconds per side for two rounds, staying on the hands until the front hip settles before you even consider the forearms. Add a round or a few seconds per side as the hips open, rather than chasing the forearm version too soon.

How do you make Lizard Pose easier or harder?

If the back knee is uncomfortable or the front hip feels jammed, keep the back knee down on a folded blanket and stay up on the hands the whole time. To go deeper, lift the back knee off the floor, straighten that leg, or lower onto the forearms once the front hip has already released.

What is Lizard Pose good for, and when is it the wrong choice?

It's one of the deeper hip and groin openers available, useful for runners, lifters, and anyone stuck in a shallow squat or short stride. Back off the range, or skip the forearm version, if you have an active hip impingement, a groin strain, or a front knee that hurts at this much flexion.

Intermediate

Lizard Pose

Lizard Pose is one of the deepest hip openers in a yoga practice: the front foot steps wide while both hands drop inside it, so the front-leg groin and outer hip lengthen alongside the rear hip flexor. Sinking onto the forearms intensifies the stretch considerably. Approach it patiently, since the range here is demanding on the hips.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Quads, Thighs
Type: Stretching, Yoga
Browse by muscle: Adductor Longus, Rectus Femoris

How to do it

1
From a lunge, walk the front foot out toward the edge of the mat and turn the toes out slightly.
2
Bring both hands to the floor on the inside of the front foot.
3
Lower the back knee to the floor to start, or keep it lifted for a stronger stretch.
4
Sink the hips forward and down, letting the front knee travel out over the pinky-toe side.
5
Stay on the hands, or lower onto the forearms to deepen the opening.
6
Breathe slowly and hold, then press back and switch sides.

Tips

Drop onto the forearms only once the hips have released on the hands.
Let the front knee widen outward so the inner thigh gets the stretch.
Lower the back knee and rest it on padding if the hips feel overloaded.

Variations

Common mistakes

The front knee drifts inward toward the big toe instead of tracking out, which loads the inner knee instead of opening the hip.
Sinking onto the forearms in the first few breaths, before the front hip has softened on the hands, jams the joint instead of opening it.
The back knee grinds bare against the floor once it's down, which is uncomfortable enough that most people shorten the hold instead of padding it.
The rear leg goes slack and drifts wherever it wants, so the stretch dumps entirely onto the front hip instead of sharing it with the rear hip flexor.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold Lizard Pose, and how many rounds?: Hold 30 to 45 seconds per side for two rounds, staying on the hands until the front hip settles before you even consider the forearms. Add a round or a few seconds per side as the hips open, rather than chasing the forearm version too soon.
How do you make Lizard Pose easier or harder?: If the back knee is uncomfortable or the front hip feels jammed, keep the back knee down on a folded blanket and stay up on the hands the whole time. To go deeper, lift the back knee off the floor, straighten that leg, or lower onto the forearms once the front hip has already released.
What is Lizard Pose good for, and when is it the wrong choice?: It's one of the deeper hip and groin openers available, useful for runners, lifters, and anyone stuck in a shallow squat or short stride. Back off the range, or skip the forearm version, if you have an active hip impingement, a groin strain, or a front knee that hurts at this much flexion.

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