Beginner

Low Lunge

Low Lunge, or Anjaneyasana, drops the back knee to the floor and reaches the arms overhead for a deep stretch across the front of the rear hip and thigh. The gentle backbend adds a light opening through the abs and chest. It is a friendlier, more expressive cousin of the kneeling hip-flexor stretch and a staple transition in flowing sequences.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Quads
Type
Stretching, Yoga
Browse by muscle
Rectus Femoris, Sartorius
Muscles worked
Target
Rectus Femoris, Sartorius
Secondary
Adductor Longus, Gluteus Maximus, Deltoid Anterior
Tertiary
Upper Rectus Abdominals

How to do it

  1. 1

    From a standing forward fold or Down Dog, step one foot forward between the hands.

  2. 2

    Lower the back knee to the floor and untuck the back toes.

  3. 3

    Slide the back knee back until you feel a stretch across the front of that hip.

  4. 4

    Sink the hips forward and down while keeping the front shin vertical.

  5. 5

    Reach both arms overhead and lift the chest into a gentle backbend.

  6. 6

    Hold with steady breath, then switch sides.

Tips

  • Pad the down knee with a folded mat, since it bears real pressure here.
  • Tuck the tailbone slightly so the stretch reaches the hip flexor instead of pinching the low back.
  • Keep the front knee stacked over the ankle rather than sliding past the toes.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The back knee sits directly under the hip, where there is no stretch at all; slide it back until you feel the front of that hip lengthen.
  • The stretch gets pushed until it feels sharp at the front of the hip rather than a broad pull, which is the point to ease back from, not through.
  • The hips bounce up and down to sink deeper, and the hip flexor answers by tightening; stay still and let it give over several breaths.
  • Arms reach overhead and the ribs flare, so the bend concentrates in a few segments of the lower back instead of spreading through the upper back; lift through the chest with the ribs knitted down.
  • Shoulders climb toward the ears as the arms lift, turning a hip stretch into a neck squeeze; let them slide down as the fingers reach up.

Frequently asked

How long should I hold the low lunge on each side?
Thirty to sixty seconds per side, two rounds, breathing slowly throughout. Daily is fine, since this is a stretch rather than a lift and there is nothing to recover from. If you sit for most of the day, holding it in the evening does more than fitting it into a training session. Come out of the pose if the down knee gets uncomfortable rather than waiting out the pressure.
How do I make the low lunge easier or deeper?
For a gentler version, pad the down knee, rest the hands on blocks or on the front thigh instead of reaching overhead, and keep the back knee closer in. For more, slide the back knee further away, tuck the tailbone a little more, or set the back foot up a wall behind you for a couch stretch. A gentle side bend toward the front leg reaches more of the hip and the side of the trunk.
What is the low lunge good for?
It lengthens the hip flexors and the front of the rear thigh, which is where hours of sitting show up, and the overhead reach opens the chest a little at the same time. It suits almost anyone as part of a cooldown or a morning routine. It is a poor choice right before heavy squatting, where a long static hold can leave the hips feeling loose, so keep it to about twenty seconds a side then. If pressure on the kneecap hurts even with padding, use a standing hip flexor stretch instead.

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