Too Much Sitting? Lizard Pose Releases Tense Hips
/Tight hips got you down?
Need release anxiety and create calm?
Want to feel limber and strong?
Let Go in Lizard Pose!
Lizard Pose is a wonderful yoga pose for stretching and releasing tense hips, hamstrings groins and quadriceps. It provides deep hip opening while also creating focus and calm.
Most of us do a lot of sitting, which tends to make our hip flexors tight and cranky. Lizard pose is the perfect antidote but might look intimidating if your hips are already feeling rigid and stiff. Let’s learn how we can relax and release in Lizard Pose.
The Benefits of Lizard Yoga Pose for Kids
You may have noticed that most young children are naturally very flexible at the hip joints. When we watch little kids move, they drop very easily into a deep squat to look at something on the ground or to pick something up. By adulthood, many of us have lost this ability completely and we bend from our waist wreaking havoc on our low backs.
How does this happen? Our modern lifestyle is partially responsible. Children spend way too many hours sitting - first in car seats and strollers as we zoom them around our busy lives and then in chairs for hours every day at school. Excessive sitting leads to tight hips, short hamstrings and poor posture. Lizard Pose provides an intense stretch for the hips and will help children maintain natural mobility and strength as they develop.
When doing yoga with young children, practicing animal poses is always a fun way to make yoga more exciting and playful. Let’s run and sing in Lizard Pose!
How To: Lizard Yoga Pose
Start in low lunge pose.
Rest your back knee onto the floor, sliding it back gently so it’s behind the hip.
Bring hands to the inside of the front foot.
Walk the front foot out so it is slightly wider the shoulder and angle toes out a bit.
Slowly lower forearms to the floor, elbows below the shoulders.
Hug the front inner thigh inward and keep the knee tracking over the front toes.
Lift the back knee off the floor pressing the back of the thigh toward the ceiling.
Reach through the back heel stretching the two legs away from each other.
Draw the chest forward, lengthening the spine.
Relax shoulders and broaden the chest.
Keep the back of the neck long and gaze slightly forward on the floor.
Stay for 5-10 breaths and then switch sides.
Tips for Mastering Lizard Yoga Pose
If tight hips make it difficult to lower the forearms, that is okay! Practice with hands on the floor and, when you are ready, use yoga blocks, a bolster or pillow to slowly lower over time as your hips gain mobility.
Use padding under the back knee to relieve any discomfort and avoid too much pressure on the kneecap. You can roll the outside of your yoga mat inward or place a blanket under the back knee.
Settle your hips toward the front foot to create a long line from your back foot or knee through hips, shoulders and crown of the head.
Avoid sinking into the hip, elbow and shoulder joints, actively engaging by hugging the front inner thigh inward, reaching through the back heel and drawing chest forward.
Keep the back of the neck long, relaxed and in line with the rest of the spine. Avoid dropping the head down.
Breathe slowly and deeply to release tightness and tension. Relax the jaw by fluttering the lips or exhaling with a long deep sigh.
Kid-friendly Lizard Pose Variations
Lizard Pose works wonderfully well in combination with many of the other yoga hip opener poses like Butterfly, Squat, Warrior, and Goddess. Hugging the front thigh inward also strengthens the inner thigh muscles which is important to balance the external hip rotation in many of these other yoga poses.
Lizard Pose is an active hip opener but we can make it more restorative by propping with bolsters and by taking it slow. When practicing yoga, it’s important to remember we can’t force our bodies into being more flexible and attempting to push or power through is often counter-productive.
Recent studies have shown flexibility may be more a mental than physical challenge. Our central nervous system will only ease us into a stretch if the range of motion feels safe and supported. If you have hip tightness and approach Lizard Pose with anxiety or frustration, you probably won’t get very far.
When this happens, relax, breathe and try a calming hip opener like Happy Baby Pose for a while. Then come back to Lizard when the hips and mind are more receptive. Let’s giggle like happy babies!
Just as our nervous system contributes to our overall physical tension or flexibility, we might also notice a connection between our physical and emotional states. Sometimes we hold suppressed or stored emotion in parts of our body, so it is common to experience rushes and releases of feelings as we stretch more deeply.
When we notice things arise, remember to take long, slow breaths and relax any clenching in the jaw or face. As always, end the practice in relaxation pose, leaving space for stillness and reflection. Invite children to share how they are feeling verbally or give time for journaling or drawing at the end of class.
Elevate Your Curriculum
Did you know Yo Re Mi offers an array of children's musical yoga and mindfulness resources for your kids? You can:
- Download our app for exclusive videos and fun activities -- with no ads!
- Request a professional development workshop
- Join a 30-hour certified kids yoga teacher training
- Inquire about bringing the Yo Re Mi program to your students or family
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