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Low Lunge

Anjaneyasana

Step by Step

From Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog), exhale and step your right foot forward between your hands, aligning the right knee over the heel. Then lower your left knee to the floor and, keeping the right knee fixed in place, slide the left back until you feel a comfortable stretch in the left front thigh and groin. Turn the top of your left foot to the floor.

Inhale and lift your torso to upright. As you do, sweep your arms out to the sides and up, perpendicular to the floor. Draw the tailbone down toward the floor and lift your pubic bone toward your navel. Lift your chest from the firmness of your shoulder blades against the back torso.

Take your head back and look up, being careful not to jam the back of your neck. Reach your pinkies toward the ceiling. Hold for a minute, exhale your torso back to the right thigh and your hands to the floor, and turn your back toes under. With another exhale, lift your left knee off the floor and step back to Adho Mukha Svanasana. Repeat with the left foot forward for the same length of time.

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Anatomical Focus

Thighs
Groins
Abdomen
Chest
Lungs
Shoulders
Armpits
Neck

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Therapeutic Applications

Sciatica

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Contraindications and Cautions

Heart problems

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Beginner's Tip

To improve balance practice this pose facing a wall. Press the big toe of the front foot against the wall and stretch your arms up, finger tips to the wall.

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Preparatory Poses

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)
Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)
Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
Virasana (Hero Pose)

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Follow-Up Poses

Virabhadrasana I and III (Warrior Poses I and III)

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Reader Comments

JonathanCline	alice, who is having trouble with stepping through from Downward Dog -> in order to step from Down Dog to lunge, the pelvis needs to be kept high. Core strength helps with this. Engage the front and side abs, lift the pelvis higher, then step the leg through. One way to get better at the strength of the core is to practice holding plank (try on forearms, like Dolphin), hold for 1 minute or more, then this allows the core to carry the hips while the leg swings forward. Usually that's what it is! It may be different in your case.
alice	I've never yet been able to step through from down dog to lunge, and have, of course, always wanted to. It looks like a smooth, easy move, like it would feel good to do, but my leg gets to a certain midway point - and it's stuck, will go no further. Your comment about long legs caught my attention, as I definitely have them; however, I have a suspicion it might have something more to do with the front of the groin or thigh. Does anyone have any insight to share? Oh, and I do love this low lunge pose, it's really relaxing my front groins.
sighyoga	On the pronunciation, is the j pronounced like the "j" in "jar" ?

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