High Lunge

High lunge is typically thought of as a pose for leg strength. But did you know its also a great balance pose?! We like including high lunge in our classes to target both areas and its a great way to start warming up your legs for standing sequences. If you have ever struggled in high lunge, try out these tips:

1. Check your stance - your front knee should be in line with your ankle. From here, adjust your back leg so that you can be on the ball of your back foot with your leg as straight as possible without locking your knee (unless you have back pain - see Tip No. 3). If you’re stepping one foot forward from downward facing dog, don’t forget that you can ALWAYS adjust your stance as needed!

2. A little off balance? Try widening your stance so that your right foot is more toward the right of your mat and your left foot is more toward the left, keeping your hips square toward the front of the room. A wider stance will give you more stability.

3. If you have lower back pain while in this high lunge, engage your core and turn your tailbone toward the mat so that your glutes are not jutting out. You can also bring a slight bend in your back leg to relieve pressure in your lower back as you work on building strength. Over time, you can work on straightening your back leg!

We hope these tips help you the next time you're in high lunge. Don't forget to leave a comment if there are any poses you would like to see on future Tuesday Tips!