Revolved Lunge

Parivrtta Anjaneyasana

A twist from a long lunge. Opens the back-leg hip flexor while the obliques rotate the ribcage, with the front leg holding the position under load.

DIFFICULTY
Intermediate
EQUIPMENT
Mat · Yoga block
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Obliques · Quads
ALSO WORKS
Hip Flexors · Glutes · Lower back · Multifidus
HOW TO DO IT
  1. 01Step into a lunge with the front knee over the ankle and the back knee down or lifted.
  2. 02Bring the palms together at the chest and lengthen the spine over the front thigh.
  3. 03Hook the opposite elbow outside the front knee, or place that hand on a block inside the foot.
  4. 04Press the hands together and turn the chest toward the ceiling, opening the top shoulder.
  5. 05Hold five breaths, then release and repeat on the other side.
COACHING CUES
  1. 01Lengthen the back leg away before you rotate.
  2. 02Front knee stays stacked over the ankle, not drifting in.
  3. 03Twist from the ribs, not from the shoulders.
COMMON MISTAKES
  1. 01Letting the front knee collapse inward under the pressure of the elbow, which loads the medial knee.
  2. 02Twisting from the arms while the ribcage stays square, which produces movement but no rotation.
  3. 03Collapsing the back hip toward the floor, which loses the hip flexor length the pose provides.

Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.

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