Opens The Hips. Lizard Pose

Opens The Hips. Lizard Pose

If you feel the need or desire to open and challenge your hips, then you may love Lizard Pose!

However, keep in mind that this pose can test your hip flexibility in a major way. In other words, Lizard also known as Utthan Pristhasana is no joking matter. You will likely need plenty of patience as you begin the journey of adding this yoga pose to your daily practice. As a result, many yoga students have a love and hate relationship with this posture.

I suppose this pose does look somewhat like a lizard, but there's no doubt that the pose has become a popular posture that you're likely to experience in most yoga classes. Since the pose focuses on the hips, most men usually struggle with the posture. It's likely safe to say that Lizard is a little more popular with female students.

Step-By-Step Instructions

There are a number of poses that offer a nice transition to Lizard, but for our purposes we will start in Downward Facing Dog.

While in Down Dog take a deep breath and on exhale step your right foot forward and place it on the outside of your right hand while keeping both your arms to the inside of your right leg and foot.

Slowly lower your left knee to the earth, make sure to release your left foot and place your toes on the mat while flexing the foot. Make sure that the right knee is aligned with the right ankle.

Try to keep your hips level with the weight distributed evenly across the hips.

Extend and lengthen the spine drawing a straight line with your neck, try not to allow the neck and head to sink or drop toward the mat.

If comfortable, you can lower the forearms to the ground keeping the chest open and back lengthened.

For a greater challenge, you may lift the left knee of the mat and press into the ball of the left foot.

Hold the pose for several breaths and then slowly exit the pose and transition back into Downward Facing Dog.

Major Tips

The back knee can be placed on the earth or you can raise it to provide a greater challenge during the posture.

Remember to stay up on the toes of the back foot, keeping the toes grounded into the mat.

Try to keep a long spine with the chest sinking to basically shoulder level.

Avoid allowing the neck and head to sink, keep the neck straight with your gaze forward.

Don't become overly concerned about placing the forearms on the earth, keeping the arms straight with the palms on the ground perfectly acceptable.