Add a rotational element to Runner’s lunge to mobilize your spine and build core and lower-body strength.
This posture builds strength and stability for hip and spine movements such as twisting and throwing, as well as contributes to quicker and more powerful change of direction. It even improves balance.
Runner’s Lunge Twist Target Areas
- Core
- Spine
- hips
Runner’s Lunge Twist Benefits
- Strengthens core and spine
- Improves balance and coordination
- Increases spinal mobility for more fluid movement, less stiffness, and reduced risk of injury
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How to Do Runner’s Lunge Twist
- Start in Runner’s lunge with your left knee over your ankle and your right leg straight. Place your fingertips on the floor. Squeeze inner thighs toward each other, and pull chest forward and up to form a straight line from back heel to head.
- Extend your right arm straight up toward the ceiling. Use your core to roll back the left shoulder and open chest, keeping hips square to the floor. Turn your head to look up at your hand. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen the torso, and exhaling as you deepen the rotation. Repeat on the other side.
Cues for Runner’s Lunge Twist
- Lift chest
- Form straight line from back heel to head
- Press down through left heel
- Maintain length from heel all the way to neck
- Engage core and back
- Keep hips level
- Keep thigh engaged and knee lifted
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Engagement of hips
- Stretch in right hip flexors, middle back, and spine
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- Weight in right hand; if it is, shift weight back into hips
- Hips shifting to side; if so, bring back to middle and reduce rotation
- Neck discomfort; if you do, press crown of head away from shoulders
Runner’s Lunge Twist Pro Tip
To achieve a deep rotation of the spine, bring the upper arm across your back to rest on the opposite hip, and roll back the top shoulder as much as possible while keeping hips level.
Runner’s Lunge Twist Modification
If it is difficult to support yourself and keep your spine straight, rest your hand on a block placed inside your front foot.
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.
