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Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana) is such a common yoga pose yet it means different things to different people. Some students prefer to stay quite elevated in Low Lunge and really get into the quads. Other students let the hips sink to intensify the stretch in the hips. Either way, there’s a common mistake a lot of people make in Low Lunge—compressing the low back.
This tends to happen when we shift our hips forward and down and sort of collapse in the low back as we attempt to sink lower and intensify the stretch in the hip flexors. It can also happen happen when we take a backbend and initiate the movement from the lower back. This is especially the case when someone is extra flexible or has anterior pelvic tilt and maybe aren’t cognizant about it.
What you can do is start your Low Lunge Pose higher by activating the quads and pushing down through the front foot and back knee. This creates the lift and length you need by engaging through the lower abdominals. Then can you maintain that position and integrity through the pelvis even as you let the hips go forward and down or take a slight backbend without compromising or compressing the lower back.
You’re not tucking your tailbone. It’s more like you’re lengthening the tailbone down, which makes it easier to keep the pelvis in a neutral position. Then even if you decide to let gravity help the stretch as you let yourself sink a little deeper into the pose.
How to Practice Low Lunge Without Straining Your Low Back
Once you come into Low Lunge with one foot forward and the back knee on the mat, push slightly off the ground through your front foot and back knee to engage the quads and lift yourself slightly. This creates more space to draw the tailbone down. If it helps, you can keep your back toes tucked. You might want to keep your palms or fingertips on the mat as you settle into this shape.
Lengthen through both sides of the waist as you bring your arms upward. You can bring your hands to touch overhead or not.
Gaze straight ahead or turn your gaze upward and past your thumbs.
Stay lifted or push your hips up and down while keeping your quads engaged and ensuring there’s length and space through your lower back.
If you choose, keep that lift as you tilt your upper back into a slight backbend with the option to bend your elbows and cactus your arms. Focus more on lifting up than leaning back.
