LUNGE 2,3,4!

Sanskrit name

• This lunge is a variation of Warrior I so it doesn't have a sanskrit name 

Benefits

• Stretches the front the hip of the extended back leg 
• Strengthens the thighs, knees and ankles
• Improves balance when practice regularly 

Cautions

• Knees injuries
• Balance issues 

Anatomy focus

• Front leg- ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion, hip flexion and nutation of the SI joint (Sacroiliac joint of the pelvis and the spine) 
• Back leg - ankle dorsiflexion, knee extension, hip extension and counter nutation of SI joint
• Spine- extension and slight rotation of chest to face forwards
• Shoulders- shoulder flexion, elbow extension, upward rotation, abduction and elevation of scapular

Step by Step

• Starting in Tadasana (Mountain pose) making sure you're standing tall, belly lightly tucking in, drawing your coccyx down gently to lengthen your back and drawing your crown all the way up to the sky.
• Take a couple of breaths here, grounding down into the floor. 
• Bring your hands to your hips and shift your weight to gain your balance on your left leg. 
• Inhale here 
• Exhale and take you right leg straight back behind you, a little further back than a natural stride, keeping your feet hip width apart. 
• Maintain you balance as you take your arms over head and shoulder width apart.
• Keep the belly tucked and chest lifted. 
• Reach your fingers up to the sky as you squeeze those left quadricep muscle with all your might!
• Gently tense your right hamstrings to straighten your right leg and secure your pelvis. 
• Press your right heel away from you to lengthen the back of your right leg. 
• You must keep your left knee over your left ankle. DO NOT let the knee reach forward towards the toes. If this happens, lengthen your stride instantly! Give your knee plenty of safe space to be stable. 
• Take up to 5 breaths here.
• To come out of the lunge, place the hands back onto the hips, bend the right knee and take your weight back into your left foot. Inhale here.
• Exhale and glide your right foot back up to it's friend, still hip width apart. 
• Come back into your lovely Tadasana and take a few well deserved breaths. 
• Repeat by taking your left leg back when ready.  

Lunge. Front leg- knee over ankle, parallel thigh. Back leg- lifted knee, pressing heel away. Arms- lifted over head and shoulder width.

Easier Variation 

• If you have trouble balancing, have a chair by your side and use the back to hold onto as you need it. Or take your feet wider than hip width apart. 
• Make your stride shorter to ease the difficulty of the lunge. 
• The arms don't have to go over head. They can stay on the hips or come to Prayer position at the heart. 

  

  Easier version. Straighter front leg. Lowered arms. 

Difficult Variation 

• To make the lunge more challenging for those gladiator quadriceps of yours, make your stride longer so the front thigh becomes parallel to the floor. 
• Think about the thighs squeezing into line that runs down the centre of your mat. GET THOSE QUADS WORKING! 
• You can also take the arms into a light backbend by letting them reach backwards and lifting the chest upwards.  

  

  Difficult version. Deeper lunge, little backbend in the spine.