- Over 36 million Americans are doing yoga, and participation has increased by 63.8% in the past decade.
- A lunge yoga can be a static or transitional pose for other advanced poses.
- Lunge yoga has two main types, the low and high poses, with many variations.
- Lunge yoga strengthens muscles in the legs and arms, reduces stiffness in the hips and lower back, and improves mobility.
Yoga is worth considering if you desire to improve flexibility, strengthen muscles, or relieve pain. This physical and mental activity is not age restrictive. It’s accessible to children, adults, and retirees. About 34.4 million Americans practice yoga, and you can enjoy the health benefits of yoga by performing the poses in your home or taking a class.
However, different branches of yoga target various muscle groups, and lunge yoga is emerging as the favorite set of poses for runners and people trying to enhance mobility. This demanding form of yoga can infuse your body with better balance and support your recovery after surgery or injury.
What Is The Lunge Yoga Pose?
Most asana sequences incorporate a lunge – a forward thrust of the body with outstretched arms. It may appear to be a simple stretch, but it’s a well-rounded pose that strengthens hips and the leg muscles, such as the hamstrings and quadriceps. Lunges are an important practice for combating hip flexion which tightens the leg and the pelvis and is a side effect of sedentary life.
Over time, climbing stairs and prolonged sitting can restrict the hip’s radius of movement and result in discomfort. The lunge pose is one of the more useful body posture exercises for restoring a natural range of motion. The lunge pose can be a static or transition pose, eliminating stiffness of the lower back caused by travel or being hunched over the work desk for hours. Children’s and teen yoga can incorporate the pose and alleviate discomfort during a growth spurt.
10 Popular Yoga Poses Lunge
Lunge poses are very popular because they work on the entire lower body. They provide a solid base for transitioning to other advanced yoga poses, including poses for spine stability. Over dozen variations of the lunge are practiced. However, several poses make the top 10 list of many yoga practitioners, and maybe you should consider adding them to your repertoire of exercises.
Runners Lunge Pose
Runners Lunge is known as the classic form of lunge in yoga and is often performed at the start of vinyasa classes. One advantage of this pose is that it enables you to transition to any other lunge version. Getting into the pose requires pressing the front foot forward, down, and out via the back heel. Place your front knee over the ankle, but keep the knee tucked in, not moving past your toes. Pull the shoulder blades together and keep the chest open. The hips must be square, have low ribs, and look straight ahead.
High Lunge Pose
Retain your hips and shoulders square to the front of the mat, with the shoulder blades pulling toward your spine. Low ribs in and navel in and up. Slightly sink your hips; if the torso leans forward, center the spine by pulling the belly and low ribs back. Ground down via your front foot and out through the back foot, widen your arms reaching upwards. You will experience the effects of this pose in your calf, core, and back foot.
Twisted Lunge Pose
Warming up the spine and relaxing the digestive system are just some of the perks of the Twisted lunge. It can be done from both the Low and Runner’s Lunge. From your left side, make the lounge and plant the right hand into the ground, or you can do the reverse. Place your left hand on the heart, reach toward the sky, and twist the chest toward the left knee. Press out via the back heel, but keep your chest open, and pull the shoulder blades toward your spine to complete the pose.
Low Lunge Pose
This is reminiscent of a Runner’s lunge, although the big difference is that the back knee is on the floor. You are free to tuck or untuck the back toes. However, if you go with an untucked posture, keep the back foot straight. Discipline is crucial at this stage because the front knee can move past the front toes. The benefit of the low lunge is stretching out the hips.
Crescent Lunge Pose
One of your front feet needs to be grounded with the knee above and following the ankle at a 90-degree angle. Straighten the back leg without bending the knee, and distribute the weight backward onto the toes at the rear heel. Tuck the pelvis under the ribcage and keep the chin slightly lowered. The arms should be straight, the hands separated, and the fingers spread wide.
Crescent Lunge with Prayer Hands
This pose is an evolution of the Crescent Lunge with the same position of the legs and arms. The heart is open, the spine is extended, and the palms face each other, creating the prayer position.
Revolved Lunge Pose
The starting position is another variation of the previous pose in our list, and from there, you need to curve the spine to one side, placing the elbow outside the knee. Push the shoulders one on top of the other, and look up. When you take a breath, extend the spine and, on the exhale, twist deeper.
Side Lunge Pose
Arc your knee and turn to one side. It may be easier to do this maneuver if you pivot the toes outward. The opposite leg must remain straight but flex your toes. The idea is to rest on your heel, sinking your hands to the ground and bringing them together in a prayer gesture.
Horizon Lunge Pose
Push your top arm into the sky, and lengthen it toward the back as you turn on your feet’s edges. Protect your joints by flexing the feet. Stiffen your right foot forward, sink your hip as far as possible, and keep a strong supporting arm.
Bound Side Lunge Pose
Position yourself into a side lunge and continue to press the heel of your straight leg forward to sink lower into your hips. Wrap your lower arm in front of your shin, bring your elongated arm up and around, and catch opposite hands. Expand the chest and look up, then hold the position.
Types Of Yoga Lunge Poses
Lunge poses are structured around two main types: the High Lunge, known in Sanskrit as the Banarasana, and the Low Lunge, also referred to by its original name Anjaneyasana. However, each of these lunge types branches out into numerous variations.
The Low Lunge is considered an exercise for beginners, appropriate for all levels, from prenatal to more advanced styles of yoga. The pose requires your knee to be on the ground, and by keeping the feet separated, you are stretching the hips and hamstrings, something runners appreciate. The entire movement resembles throwing your body toward the ground without contacting the floor.
The High Lunge Pose is a transitional pose and can serve as a base pose for other variations. It’s a great pose to incorporate in a flow yoga sequence and help build isometric strength in your legs.
Benefits Of Yoga Lunge Poses
It’s a fact that yoga offers many health benefits, with each type of pose targeting a different part of the human anatomy. However, additional mental benefits are available. Practicing yoga stimulates the production of feel-good hormones, positively affecting mood. Lunges rank high among popular meditation tips for seniors needing mental relaxation.
But circling back to our lunge poses, some of the benefits you can expect are improved respiratory system function and circulation. The stretching movements extend the chest and diaphragm, activating organs responsible for respiration. Lunges benefit the circulatory system by infusing fresh oxygen and encouraging the heart to be more active. The most obvious results are in keeping the lower body muscles in shape. Stretches strengthen your ankles, hip flexors, and knees and increase stamina and spine stability.
FAQ
1) What is the lunge pose in yoga?
Lunge pose is an asana for yoga beginners that starts with a transition from a downward-facing dog position and branches out into low and high lunge poses. It tones, stretches, and strengthens the body. It’s a great pose for transitioning to more advanced yoga poses.
2) What are some different types of lunge yoga poses?
The High Lunge (Banarasana) and Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana) are the two main types of lunge poses. Within these lunge types, you can encounter over a hundred varieties under different names.
3) How long should I hold a lunge yoga pose?
Ideally, you should hold a lunge pose for about three to five breaths, or if you are pacing yourself by the arrow of the clock, hold it for 30 seconds to a minute max.
4) What are some common mistakes to avoid when practicing lunge yoga poses?
The form is crucial for getting the most out of each yoga pose, and the lunge is no exception. Frequent mistakes are leaning too far forward, not engaging the arms, tilting your pelvis, rounding the back, and torquing the neck.
5) Can lunge yoga poses help with building strength and flexibility?
Yes, lunge yoga poses are excellent for building muscle strength in the legs and increasing flexibility in the front thigh, inner thighs, knee joint, hips, and spine. It’s a valuable exercise for reducing stress.