Category: Standing
Level: intermediate
Hold: 3–5 breaths
Type: Asana
Breath: Exhale to lower in, inhale to rise or shift sides.

Side Lunge

Skandasana — "posture dedicated to Skanda, the god of war"

Also known as: Half Squat

A deep squat over one leg while the other stretches straight to the side, toes lifted. Side Lunge opens the inner thighs and challenges ankle mobility.

Step by step

1Step your feet wide apart and turn your toes slightly out.
2Bend your right knee and shift your hips over your right heel into a deep single-leg squat.
3Straighten your left leg out to the side and flex the foot, toes pointing up with the heel grounded.
4Bring your hands to the floor in front of you, or to heart center if balanced.
5Keep your chest lifted and your right knee tracking over the toes.
6Stay grounded through the right heel, or lift it if your ankle needs the room.
7Shift smoothly through center to the other side, or step back to wide-legged standing.

Benefits

✓ Stretches the inner thighs, groin, and hamstrings
✓ Improves ankle and hip mobility
✓ Strengthens the legs and glutes in a deep range
✓ Builds control moving side to side between legs

Make it yours

· Rest your hands on blocks for balance.
· Lift the heel of the bent leg or slide a rolled blanket beneath it.
· Stay in a half-depth squat rather than sitting all the way down.

Take care

Keep the squat shallow, or skip the pose, if you have knee trouble in deep flexion.
Support the hands on blocks if balance is unreliable.

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

Practiced in

Vinyasa

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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