Lizard Pose

Utthan Pristhasana — "stretched-out lizard posture"

A deep lunge with both hands inside the front foot, often lowering to the forearms. Lizard goes straight after the hips and doesn't pretend otherwise.

Step by step

1From a lunge with your right foot forward, walk the foot to the outer edge of the mat.
2Bring both hands to the floor inside the right foot, shoulders over wrists.
3Turn the right toes out slightly and let the knee open to the right.
4Keep the back leg strong, or lower the back knee to the mat for less intensity.
5If steady, lower onto your forearms or onto blocks under the forearms.
6Keep the chest reaching forward instead of rounding toward the floor.
7Breathe into the hips, then press up, step back, and change sides.

Benefits

✓ Deeply stretches the hips, groin, and hip flexors
✓ Stretches the hamstrings and inner thigh of the front leg
✓ Prepares the hips for deeper poses and arm balances
✓ Encourages patient, slow breathing under sensation

Make it yours

· Place blocks under the forearms instead of going all the way to the floor.
· Lower the back knee onto a folded blanket.
· Stay up on the hands with arms straight for a milder version.

Take care

Keep the chest high on hands or blocks if you have hip or groin strain.
Pad or lower the back knee, or skip the pose, if kneeling bothers the knee.

This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.

Practiced in

Props that help here

Manduka PRO — The buy-it-once option — dense, stable, famously durable. Heavy, so it lives at home, which is where practice happens anyway. find one
Liforme Original — The grippiest mat we've used, with alignment markers that genuinely help beginners place hands and feet. Priciest of the three. find one

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