This posture is an essential pillar of a strong lower body. It strengthens your hips, glutes, thighs, and core, improves your hip mobility, and prevents injury in your knees, back, and hips. Low lunge is very important for people who sit often, as well as athletes interested in building power and preventing injury.
Low Lunge Target Areas
- hips
- core
Low Lunge Benefits
- Improves hip mobility to reduce risk of injury
- Builds foundational hip strength and stability
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How to Do Low Lunge
- Start on all fours with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. (Toes can be tucked or untucked.) Position knees and ankles parallel to each other, hip-width apart.
- Step your right foot up between your hands, bending your right knee to 90 degrees with the knee above the ankle. Let hips sink slightly forward. Press down through the right foot to shift weight into your right hip.
- Tuck your back toes, engage both thighs, and lift your arms overhead, palms facing each other. Position torso directly over hips. Lightly squeeze inner thighs toward each other. Continue to press down through the right foot. Engage your core and draw ribs in to prevent chest from splaying open. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lift your ribs away from hips, and exhaling as you deepen the hip stretch. Repeat on the other side.
Cues for Low Lunge
- Feel stretch in left hip flexors
- Keep knee above ankle
- Keep hips under torso
- Keep weight in right heel and hips
- Lift ribs away from hips to lengthen core
- Relax chin toward throat, and pull head back
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Engagement of thighs, hips, and glutes
- Stretch in shoulders and left hip flexors; move feet further apart if you don’t feel it in hips
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Arched back; if you do, pull navel toward lower back and maintain neutral spine
Low Lunge Pro Tip
To properly distribute your weight, lift your back knee a few inches off the floor, and notice how your weight shifts into the hip of the front leg. Lower your knee to the floor while maintaining that same level of engagement in the front hip.
Low Lunge Modification
If it is difficult to maintain balance, rest one hand on a wall or chair.
About Dean Pohlman, Founder & CEO of Man Flow Yoga, Author of Yoga Fitness for Men, Expert on Yoga Fitness for Men.
Dean Pohlman is making yoga more accessible to fitness-minded men. A former collegiate lacrosse player, Dean discovered yoga while recovering from injuries and quickly realized its potential to boost strength, mobility, and overall performance.
Since launching Man Flow Yoga in 2013, Dean Pohlman has built a global community that speaks for itself:
- 195,000+ customers
- 42+ million YouTube views
- 200,000+ followers across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
Dean’s book Yoga Fitness for Men has sold over 50,000 copies, while his Body by Yoga DVD series has surpassed 120,000 units sold, earning him consistent #1 rankings on Amazon and thousands of five-star reviews. He’s also been featured in Men’s Health, Muscle & Fitness, GQ Magazine, Fox Tampa Bay, The Chicago Sun, and on influential podcasts like The Ready State and Ben Greenfield Fitness.
With a focus on real results, community, and technique-focused instruction, Dean Pohlman continues to change the conversation around yoga. He’s not just teaching poses—he’s helping people build stronger, more capable bodies for life.
