Flexibility: Detox Your Body With Low Lunge Pose
From the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers, find beautiful length in your side body while improving your breath and posture. Low Lunge twists help to detox your body and release tension in your back.
1 Benefits
Low Lunge Pose strengthens and stretches your legs, knees and ankles, stimulates your abdominal organs (constipation, be gone!), energizes your body and can help with lower back pain. Low Lunge Pose also works to stretch the hip flexors, thus improving your posture.
2 Step-by-Step Guide
Begin by starting in a Downward Facing Dog (stacking your shoulders in line with your wrists, keeping your hips in line with your knees, tucking your toes, lifting your knees off the floor and taking your hips into the air).
- Move your left leg to the top of your mat, in between your hands, coming into a low lunge pose.
- Now bring your arms up above your head, keeping your arms bent at a 45-degree angle.
- Pulse your bent arms 10 times, keeping count and breathing throughout.
- Release your arms and now bring them high over your head.
- Lower them to the mat and place your hands on either side of your foot.
- Take a deep breath and as you exhale, come into an easy twisting movement by reaching your left arm high up in the air. Enjoy this moment!
- Hold this pose for a few deep breaths, and focus on creating length along your left side of your torso.
- Release this stretch by placing your left hand back onto your mat.
- Move back into Downward Facing Dog, taking a deep, relaxing breath as you do so.
- Repeat this entire sequence on your right side.
- On your last Downward Facing Dog, focus on holding this pose for a few breaths, relaxing throughout.
3 Focus Areas
- Stretches the groins, spine, waist, chest, lungs and shoulders
- Strengthens your legs, knees and ankles
4 Low Lunge Tips
Be sure to square off your hips and keep them facing forward. If you have any knee-related issues, try placing a towel or rolling your mat underneath your knee. Ready for a little challenge? Lift your hands high up over your head and reach for the sky. This move expands the rib cage and improves your breathing.
5 Variations
If the stretch feels too intense on your hip flexors, try tucking your toes under to release any tension in your extended leg.
