Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
The simple low lunge should be a part of everyone’s personal stretching routine. It’s wonderful for athletes – runners, cyclists, hikers and cross-fitters – as well as anyone who sits during the day.
Practicing Low Lunge is also an essential part of keeping the low back happy and pain free.
Let’s break this pose down.
ALIGNMENT
From Table Pose, step your right foot up in between your hands.
Stack the knee above the ankle (90 degrees).
(Alternately, you can have your hands on blocks. For tender knees, place a blanket under the back knee, or fold over your mat).
Separate your feet so they are not on a tight rope (wide lanes).
Engage your core and lift your arms.
BENEFITS
- Stretches the hip flexors, psoas, hamstrings, groins and hips
- Relieves low back pain (muscular in origin)
- Can open the chest and stimulate thryoid gland if head tilts back (full expression of the pose)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Groin pain
- Hip pain, labral tears
VARIATIONS
- Grab your opposite foot/opposite arm for a divine quadricep stretch
- Clasp your fingers behind your back to open your chest
- Side Bend to release your quadratus lumborum (QL)- another one of those ‘ahhhhh’ moments
- Extend the outstretched leg straight for Kneeling Pyramid
Catherine Tingey
Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.
About the Author
Catherine Tingey+ Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.
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![I'm feeling so much gratitude today. I deliberately took time off around Thanksgiving--did not even send out a Thanksgiving newsletter. I wanted to give myself time to feel into my new location...it's an ongoing exploration!I am so grateful for yoga to have given me a strong and flexible body. This picture is recent, 50 year old body. [Yoga has also given me injuries, so be forewarned.] This is one of the primary reasons I am a conservative and watchful teacher; I hope to spare my clients overuse injuries and improper alignment injuries. When you know better, you can teach and do better.I just published this #asana on my website.📸@guibittencourtphoto#standingsplits #privateyogateacher #privateyoga #thecoachcat #practiceandalliscoming #yogaeveryday](https://cdn.catherinetingey.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
