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Lizard Pose

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ Intermediatecore

Home Setup

Use a folded towel or blanket under your front foot and back knee for cushioning, and stack books or firm pillows under your forearms if you cannot reach the floor comfortably

Yoga mat or towelFolded blanketBooks or firm pillows

💡 Pro tip: Place a rolled towel under your back knee for extra padding if you have sensitive knees

Gym Setup

Yoga mat and yoga blocks for forearm support

Safety: Avoid forcing the stretch; ease into the pose gradually and keep your front knee aligned over your ankle to prevent knee strain

💪 Muscles Worked

Hip FlexorsQuadricepsAdductorsHamstringsGlutes

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Lizard Pose deeply opens the hip flexors, groin, and hamstrings while building strength in the legs and improving balance. This pose is particularly valuable for athletes, runners, and anyone who sits for extended periods, as it releases tension in the hips and prepares the body for deeper backbends and hip-opening postures.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Low Lunge on Hands

yoga mat

Keeps torso more upright, reducing hip flexor intensity and requiring less flexibility

2. Lizard Pose with Blocks Under Forearms

yoga mat + yoga blocks

Elevates the upper body to reduce the depth of the hip stretch

3. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

yoga mat + blanket

Gentler hip flexor stretch with more control and less balance requirement

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Lizard Pose with Back Knee Lifted

yoga mat

Engages the back leg and core more intensely while deepening the hip stretch

2. Twisted Lizard Pose

yoga mat

Adds spinal rotation and shoulder opening to the hip stretch

3. Flying Lizard Pose

yoga mat + yoga strap

Flips the back foot and deepens into a quad stretch while maintaining the hip opening

↕️ Similar Movements

Pigeon Pose
Complementary hip opener focusing more on external hip rotation
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Foundational pose that Lizard Pose builds upon with deeper hip opening
Half Split (Ardha Hanumanasana)
Counter-pose that stretches the hamstrings after hip flexor opening
Frog Pose
Similar deep groin and inner thigh stretch with different leg positioning
Dragon Pose
Yin yoga variation with similar alignment and longer hold times

Form Checklist

✓Align front knee directly over ankle, not collapsing inward
✓Keep hips square and level, resisting the urge to let the front hip drop
✓Press through both hands or forearms evenly to maintain shoulder stability
✓Draw front hip back and back hip forward to maintain pelvic alignment
✓Lengthen through the spine rather than collapsing into the shoulders

Common Mistakes

  • •Allowing the front knee to collapse inward past the ankle, creating knee strain
  • •Rounding the spine and collapsing through the shoulders instead of maintaining length
  • •Forcing the hips too low too quickly without proper warm-up
  • •Holding tension in the neck and shoulders rather than keeping them relaxed
  • •Not engaging the back leg, causing excessive pressure on the front hip

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can comfortably hold Lizard Pose with forearms down for 5-10 breaths while maintaining proper alignment, your hips feel open without strain, and you can keep your front knee stable over your ankle throughout the hold