This deep-lunge stretch opens the hips, releases tension in your back, and decreases soreness in the lower body. Lizard helps speed up recovery and reduces the risk of injury in the hips, thighs, knees, and lower back. It also helps reverse the negative effects of prolonged sitting or inactivity.
Lizard Pose Target Areas
- Hip flexors
- Inner Thighs
Lizard Pose Benefits
- Relieves hip tension and soreness
- Increases hip flexibility for longer strides and deeper lunges
- Prevents common soft-tissue hip injuries
- Reduces lower-back pressure
– click images to enlarge –
How to Do Lizard Pose
- Start in Plank with your shoulders over your wrists and your core engaged. Form a straight line from head to heels.
- Step your left foot to the outside of your left hand. Align left knee over the ankle. Keep core engaged and hips level. If this movement from plank is difficult, rest your knees on the floor, then step the foot up.
- Lower your right knee to the floor and untuck your toes. Shift left foot forward and to the left a few inches until you feel a deep stretch in the right hip. Inch your right foot back to extend the right leg as far as you are able. Lift your chest. Maintain a flat or slightly arched back. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen and lift the spine, and exhaling as you sink hips deeper. Repeat on the other side.
Cues for Lizard Pose
- Engage core
- Knee directly over ankle
- Lightly rest fingertips on floor
- Maintain flat back
- Keep knee directly above ankle
- Engage core
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Stretch in right hip flexors and left inner thigh
- Engagement of left thigh
- Light core engagement
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Lower-back discomfort; if you do, flatten back and engage core
- Lack of stretching in hips; if so, widen stance and sink deeper into lunge
Lizard Pose Pro Tip
Press the top of your back foot into the floor and squeeze the back thigh to increase the intensity of this stretch.
Lizard Pose Modification
To help prevent back from rounding, rest hands on a block placed just inside the front foot.
If you want to try another step-by-step tutorial, try Forward Fold Pose: https://manflowyoga.com/blog/forward-fold-pose-for-men-and-beginners/
About Dean Pohlman, Founder & CEO of Man Flow Yoga, Author of Yoga Fitness for Men, Expert on Yoga Fitness for Men.
Dean Pohlman is an E-RYT 200 certified yoga instructor and the founder of Man Flow Yoga. Dean is widely considered to be an authority on Yoga for Men. He has worked with physical therapists to create yoga programs for back health and spinal recovery. His workouts and programs have been used by professional and collegiate athletes, athletic trainers, and personal trainers; and have been recommended by physical therapists, doctors, chiropractors, and other medical professionals.
Dean is a successfully published author through DK Publishing (Yoga Fitness for Men), selling 35,000 copies worldwide in English, French, and German; in addition to being a co-producer of the Body by Yoga DVD Series, which has sold over 40,000 copies on Amazon since its release in 2016.
Man Flow Yoga has been featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Mens’ Health, The Chicago Sun, New York Magazine, and many more major news media outlets.
