Advanced, Exercises, Yoga

Extended Balancing lizard Pose Step-by-Step Instructions

Extended Balancing lizard Pose: Step by Step Instructions - ShedBody
5 min read
2.4k
Updated: August 22, 2024

The extended balancing lizard pose is an advanced level of lizard pose performed in prone position. It additionally includes balance, forward-bend, twist, stretch, strength.

Extended balancing lizard pose is a deep lump that stretch your hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps. Extended balancing lizard pose also called Bound Extended Lizard Pose (Sanskrit- Baddha Utthita Utthan Pristhasana).

A slow, deep stretch in these muscles can help reduce pain, release tension, and prevent injury in both your yoga practice and your everyday life. Strengthening your hips and hamstrings, in particular, can improve your balance and flexibility.

Yoga instructors often recommend postures for athletes to tone different muscle groups. They may also recommend it to people with symptoms related to reproductive health, as posture promotes activation of the pelvis and lower abdomen.

Benefits of extended balancing lizard pose

This pose is a versatile pose that includes several benefits:

  • Prepares the body to open deep hips like Pigeon pose and Hanuman pose.
  • Opens the hips, hamstrings, gorge and improves flexibility of hip ligaments.
  • Strengthens thigh muscles on front leg.
  • Opens and leaves the chest, shoulders, and neck.
  • This asana tightens your core muscles, reducing the excess fat around the lower abdomen and toning your stomach.
  • This pose is best suited for sports persons, as it tones the entire legs by making the quadriceps and hamstring muscles tight and strong.
  • Leg strength plays an important role in the life of a player, especially those who are involved in activities related to running, football and much more sports.
  • It is also a good posture for swimmers, as it makes your shoulder and chest muscles strong and stable.
ALSO READ:  One-Legged Chair Pose (Eka Pada Utkatasana): Steps, Benefits, and Contraindications

Since so many yoga poses are the hip and pelvic area, the foundation of aligning the hips through their full motion ensures that your body and your practice remain healthy and strong.

Steps for extended balancing lizard posture

Step-1

  • Start a dog with a downward face (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Take a breath.
  • Exhale, take out your right leg with your right hand.
  • Make sure your foot comes all the way to the front of your mat, so your toes are in line with your toes.
  • Your right knee should be bent and your toe should be about 45 degrees.
  • Until you bring your elbows flat on the floor on your mat.
  • Spread your palms to the floor (use a block under the cell if necessary).
  • Keep your head in a neutral position, neither lowering it nor raising it up.
  • Release and press your left foot to keep your left foot active. This will help ensure that your hips do not move toward the floor.

Step-2

  • Now, with your hand bend the outside elbow towards the back foot.
  • Bring the heel near the buttock and hold it.
  • Support your thighs with your shoulders or arms and reach from deep to back legs.
  • Now straighten your front leg.
  • Stay for 5 deep, full breaths.
  • When you are ready to be free from posture, take a deep breath and straighten your arms so that your wrist is under your shoulders.
  • Inhale and return to the Adho Mukha Svanasana
  • Stay in your starting posture for several breaths.
  • Repeat the steps with other legs as well.
ALSO READ:  Upright Bike (Air Bike): Techniques, Benefits and Common Mistakes

Tips

Even though “Extended Balancing Lizard Pose” is an advanced level pose, it does not mean that you want to push beyond the limits of your body. Especially with hip opener poses, it is important to listen to your body and go slowly.

Everyone is starting their pelvis with innate flexibility and a different level of structure. Some people find it easy to get a lizard pose, while others may require time and dedicated practice to realize its benefits.

While “Extended Balancing Lizard Pose” can provide a deep stretch, you need to work safely up to this level of exercise to avoid stress and injury.

There may be time and frequent exercises to improve flexibility in your hips. If you are naturally flexible already, then you will need to be particularly focused and controlled to avoid injury.

Do not hesitate to ask for amendments if needed. It is better for your body and holistic yoga practice that you are the safest and most effective at risk of injury by trying to fulfill your needs in some other way.

Precautions

It is part of a more advanced yoga practice, so it is worth consulting with your teacher before trying it on your own.

People recovering from certain conditions, injuries, or surgeries need to avoid extended balancing lizard poses. Avoid doing this pose, if you have any following concerns:

  • You have sciatica or other lower back problems
  • If you have a wrist or an arm injury
  • You are recovering from surgery on your neck, knees, feet, hips, hands, or arms.
  • You have instability or weakness in your shoulders, forearms, wrists, or hands
ALSO READ:  Crescent Lunge (Alanasana) or (Ashta Chandrasana)

Many yoga poses are safe and can be beneficial during pregnancy. Ask your yoga teacher about modifications, such as props, that can make the lizard posture comfortable for you in your prenatal yoga practice.

As always, it is best to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise class, workout, or yoga routine.

Variations

Some common variations of yoga posture are the extended balancing lizard pose, with the base pose in the form of the lizard pose (utthan pristhasana).

  • Lizard Pose Holding Back Foot
  • Bound Lizard Pose
  • Lizard Pose Foot On Block
  • Bound Extended Lizard Pose
  • Bound Lizard Pose Foot Behind Head
  • Lizard Pose One Knee On Floor Arms Stretched Forward
  • Flying lizard pose
  • Twisted Lizard Pose (Parivrtta Utthan Pristhasana)

Preparatory poses of extended balancing lizard pose

This can be done with these poses or within special yoga poses:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *