Lizard Pose anatomy

Lizard Pose · Utthan Pristhasana · Tư thế thằn lằn

Lizard Pose mainly works quadriceps (right), erector spinae, serratus anterior; it stretches adductors (right), gluteus maximus (right), hamstrings (right), iliopsoas (left); tibialis anterior (right), gluteus medius (right), transversus abdominis stabilize.

3D anatomy model of Lizard Pose: working muscles in red, stretching in blue, stabilizing in yellow

Opening the 3D model…

From Low Lunge, step the front foot outside your hands, keeping both hands on the floor inside the foot and the back knee down. It opens the front hip deeply (adductors, gluteus maximus) and stretches the front of the back hip.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Quadriceps (right), Erector spinae, Serratus anterior

Stretching: Adductors (right), Gluteus maximus (right), Hamstrings (right), Iliopsoas (left), Rectus femoris (left), Tibialis anterior (left), Wrist flexors

Stabilizing: Tibialis anterior (right), Gluteus medius (right), Transversus abdominis, Triceps brachii

Why these muscles work or stretch

Quadriceps · Working (contracting): Holds the front knee bent
Erector spinae · Working (contracting): Keeps the back long and the chest from collapsing
Serratus anterior · Working (contracting): Pushes the floor away and holds the shoulder blades against the rib cage
Adductors · Stretching: Lengthens as the front hip flexes deeply and opens
Iliopsoas · Stretching: Stretched by the extended back hip
Tibialis anterior · Stretching: Lengthens with the top of the back foot on the floor
Wrist flexors · Stretching: Lengthened as the wrist bends back; still working to press the base of the fingers down and protect the wrist
Gluteus medius · Stabilizing: Keeps the front knee from caving in

Practice cues

Place your front foot outside your hand, toes turned slightly out
Sink your hips toward the floor; keep your back long
To go deeper, lower your forearms to blocks or the floor

Benefits

Deeply opens the front hip, stretching its adductors and glutes
Stretches the iliopsoas and rectus femoris of the back leg
Strengthens the shoulders and arms as the hands support you
May help build flexibility for hip-opening poses

Cautions / contraindications

Use caution with knee pain: place a folded blanket under the back knee
Avoid or modify with hip or sacroiliac joint pain
Use caution with a wrist or shoulder injury: put the hands on blocks
Go gently with low back pain: keep the back long, don't force down

Easier variations

Keep the arms straight on blocks instead of lowering the forearms
Place a folded blanket under the back knee

General information, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or teacher.

Written and reviewed by Yoga An Viên center · Updated 18/10/2026

How to practice this pose (YogaWay, in Vietnamese)

Related poses

Front Splits (Monkey Pose) Hanumanasana
Low Lunge Anjaneyasana
Half Splits Ardha Hanumanasana
Gate Pose Parighasana
Upward-Facing Dog Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Tabletop Pose Bharmanasana

A free community project by Yoga An Viên center · Model: Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0), based on BodyParts3D © DBCLS (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP)