Low Lunge Pose

Anjaneyasana

"Engage the muscles that create the form of the asana and the asana will emerge, along with its benefits." - Dr. Ray Long

Low Lunge Pose

HOW TO PRACTICE Low Lunge Pose IN YOGA (Anjaneyasana)

Benefits, How to Instructions, Modifications, and Common Alignment Mistakes for Low Lunge Pose

 

Beginner yoga instructor enjoys the benefits of Low Lunge Pose (Sanskrit name: Anjaneyasana)

Low Lunge Pose (Sanskrit name: Anjaneyasana) is a beautiful yoga pose that provides a deep stretch to the front of the hip while strengthening the lower body. In Anjaneyasana, the grounding of the front foot and back knee stabilizes our balance and allows for the full flowering of the upper body.

Benefits of Low Lunge Pose

Yoga student demonstrating how to do a beginner variation of Low Lunge Pose (Sanskrit name: Anjaneyasana)

Low Lunge Pose combines grounding and expansion. In the full position with arms raised, this yoga pose stretches the front body and expands the chest and opens the shoulder space. It energizes as it stabilizes balance.

The deep stretch for the front of the hip helps counteract the effects of sitting for long periods of time. When we sit, the hips are in constant flexion. This can shorten and weaken the hip flexor muscles over time. Short and/or weak hip flexors often result in chronic back pain and postural dysfunction. 

In addition to the lengthening action, Low Lunge Pose is a perfect yoga posture both for strengthening the quadriceps, back, and gluteus muscles on one hand, and for helping to release tight muscles in the low back on the other. 

For yoga students cultivating balance and focus, practicing Low Lunge Pose with awareness of steady breath offers an excellent opportunity to practice both.

History of Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge Pose)

“According to legend, as a child, Anjaneya was a tad over-confident. Considering his origins, this is hardly unexpected. Born to Anjana (a supernatural woman) and Kesari (king of the monkeys), he had magical powers and royalty in his genetic inheritance. On top of all that, he was godson to the wind god, Vayu, and was considered to be a reincarnation of Lord Shiva.

So when he gazed upward one day and mistook the sun for a glowing piece of fruit, he naturally decided to make a giant leap for it, hoping to snatch it out of the sky. This he did repeatedly, unharmed by the sun’s scorching rays that would have dissolved mere mortals. When Suryadeva, the sun god, enlisted Indra, god among gods, to strike Anjaneya down, a power struggle of otherworldly proportions ensued, causing Vayu to leave in a huff, jeopardizing all life forms on Earth.

But even gods are willing to compromise if they must. Indra agreed to make Anjaneya immortal if only Vayu would return to his post. Anjaneya was renamed Hanuman, the monkey god whose exploits are honored in Hanumanasana, also known as “splits.” Meanwhile, Anjaneya boasts his own pose. Anjaneyasana (Lunge Pose), a pose that expresses the human desire to leap up and capture that glowing fruit high in the sky.“  ~ Charlotte Bell

Basic Low Lunge Pose

Low Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana)

Low Lunge Pose is typically approached from Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog); however, it is also possible to come into this yoga pose from Bharmanasana (Tabletop Pose) or Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose). This version is often seen in classical Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation), and is the approach shown in the video tutorial and described below. 

  1. From Uttanasana, step your left foot back. This is a big step that may require several smaller steps for some yoga students in order to find the right distance.  
  2. Allow your left knee to come to the floor. Make sure your right foot is evenly planted on the floor—heel to toe and inside to outside—and your heel is directly below your knee.
  3. Press your right foot and left knee into the floor. If your left knee feels as if it’s grinding into the floor, you may place a blanket under it for padding.
  4. Take care not to allow your left hip joint to hang toward the floor. Allowing the hip joint to collapse downward can cause the neck of your femur to press into the rim of the hip socket. Over time, this can damage the labrum of the socket and cartilage of the femur head. Instead, draw the very top of your thigh slightly back toward the back of your thigh to stabilize your hip joint.
  5. With your hands on the floor on either side of your right foot, take a few deep breaths, imagining the breath moving all the way down into the left thigh muscles.
  6. Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths before moving back into Uttanasana or Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Or, you can try the arm variation below.
  7. Grounding the right foot and left knee, lift your torso to upright, and place your hands on your right thigh. Take a few deep breaths.
  8. If you like, you can now extend your arms up vertically, and if your back is willing, tilt your torso back slightly so that your chest is looking skyward. Make sure as you do this that you do not collapse your back ribcage downward, compressing your low back. Instead, lift the back ribcage as your raise your arms. Ground your legs as you reach upward, taking care not to collapse the front of your left hip joint toward the floor, as above.
  9. Take a few full breaths before returning your hands to the floor, returning to Standing Forward Bend or Dog Pose. Then repeat on your other side.

Try Us Free! Get a Sample Pose Report to Experience the Full Benefits of the YogaU Pose Library.

Click Here

Check out our premium content

Video practice examples

For every yoga pose

Learn Common Alignment issues

And how to deal with them

Tips for beginners

Learn the best prep poses for each yoga pose

sign up now

Try Free for 7 Days

FAQs

Curious to learn more?

See all FAQs

FAQs

How to personalize my practice?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library helps you fit yoga poses to your individual body. It provides tools for you to customize yoga poses to your body's needs in order to gain the benefits of each yoga pose. 

When working your way through the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library, pay particular attention to the Yoga 2.0 Poses section as well as the Preparatory Poses under the Teaching Tips tab. This is where you will find some of the juiciest content in the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What do I get When I sign Up?

When you register for a basic account, you get access to basic pose information about each yoga pose. You can also view three Pose Library blog articles or three yoga pose video tutorials each month. 

If you choose to register for a premium account, you will have access to our library of 1000s of unique Yoga 2.0 pose modifications, video tutorials for each yoga pose, preparatory yoga poses and common misalignments for every yoga pose, precautions, and more!

If you choose to subscribe to our premium Plus membership, you will also get access to our Yoga Sequence Builder, which allows you to create a yoga practice sequence with any and all of the yoga poses featured throughout the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What are Yoga 2.0 Poses?

The idea behind Yoga 2.0 is that yoga poses should be individualized for every person. 

Yoga 2.0 Poses give you a foundation to begin designing your own customized yoga practice that suits your body's needs.

Choosing the right Yoga 2.0 Pose begins with your relationship with your body and making healthy choices that respect your personal boundaries. 

Is this for beginners too?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is for every body! 

Whether you are a beginner or already far along on your yoga journey, the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library has something for everyone. 

Are you looking for creative, fun ways to modify yoga poses? Check out our collection of Yoga 2.0 Poses, which features 1000s of Yoga Pose Modifications. 

Looking to expand your practice or teaching? The Teaching Tips and Deepen the Pose sections provide fun ways to challenge your yoga practice as well as practical tips for learning and teaching new yoga poses. 

Can't find a certain pose

Our Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is an ever-expanding library. 

We will be adding new yoga poses over time - keep checking back for our latest yoga poses!

Share

Check out our Mastery content!

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for our Mastery membership.

Includes Pose Precautions and special access to our state of the art Yoga Sequence Builder.

 

View options

Sorry, You have reached your
monthly limit of views

To access, join us for a free 7-day membership trial to support expanding the Pose Library resources to the yoga community.

Sign up for a FREE 7-day trial

You need a free account to do this

Register for a free account to save your Favorite Poses! You can return to them again and again!

Click below to join us!

Simply click below to register and join us. Your Favorite Poses will appear in your private Dashboard section of the site.

Get your free account

Login

Check out our premium content

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for one of our premium memberships.

 

1000s of pose modifications & more!

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library features 1000s of yoga pose modifications, video tutorials, teaching and practice tips, best prep poses, and common alignment issues for every yoga pose.

 

View options