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Also known as: Lizard & leg extension.

Technique

  1. Begin in Downward dog, pressing firmly through your hands with your hips high.
  2. Step your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand into a wide lizard lunge, keeping your back leg long and active.
  3. Sink your hips forward and down to open the front hip.
  4. Press into the ground, shift your hips back and straighten your front leg, flexing the foot.
  5. Melt your torso forward over the extended leg, drawing your chest toward your shin.
  6. Bend back into the lizard lunge, then press back over the straight leg; complete your reps, then return to Downward dog and switch sides.

Form tips

  • Keep your back leg active throughout, or lower the knee to the mat if you need to.
  • Move with your breath: open the hip as you sink forward, fold over the leg as you press back.
Risks
  • Warm up your hips and hamstrings before working into the deep positions.

Muscles

Flexibility

Primary

  • Pelvis
  • Quadriceps
  • Hip adductors
  • Glutes
  • Hamstrings

Secondary

  • Legs

Equipment

Appears in

Regressions

e037

Downward dog

Beginner
w021

Chair and Warriors

Intermediate
e0nr

Sitting straddle rotating bounces

Novice
e0xf

Butt balancing straddle fold

Intermediate
e0vy

Standing straddle head to ground

Intermediate
e0pe

Sitting straddle forearms down

Intermediate
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