beginner · Anjaneyasana
Low Lunge
Anjaneyasana
Animated Low Lunge
Scroll to move from a neutral stand into Low Lunge. With reduced motion, the final shape stays still.
Alignment cues
- From hands and knees, step one foot forward between the hands
- Lower the back knee to the mat and untuck the toes if comfortable
- Sink the hips forward without collapsing into the low back
- Lift the chest gently and breathe into the front of the hip
- Use padding under the back knee if needed
Variants
- Hands on blocks. Raise the floor with blocks on each side of the front foot
- Back knee elevated. Keep a folded blanket under the back knee for cushion
Low lunge (anjaneyasana)
Low lunge stacks a bent front leg over a grounded back knee while the torso stays tall or slightly lifted.
Why it helps
NCCIH recommends learning yoga under a qualified instructor; that safety note applies to yoga overall rather than this lunge alone (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
How to do it well
From tabletop, step one foot between the hands and lower the back knee to the mat. Pad the knee if needed, untuck the back toes if comfortable, and sink hips forward while keeping the ribs over the pelvis. Hands can frame the front foot or rest on the front thigh. Breath into the hip crease without dumping into the low back.
A common mistake and how to scale it
A common mistake is lunging so deep that the front knee passes the toes and the back knee grinds on a hard floor. Scale by shortening the stance and doubling padding under the back knee.
When to use caution
Pad the back knee and ease off sharp hip or knee pain. Talk with a health care provider about pregnancy and about knee, hip, or lumbar spine conditions that NCCIH flags for modified practice (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
Practice with the atlas
Stay five breaths per side, step back to downward dog between sides, and notice whether the hip crease feels even left and right.