Asana

High Lunge Warrior - Uttihita Ashwa Sanchalasana
Extended Equestrian Pose
Standing Poses - Balancing Poses

Kevin Wrenn Photography

One ​of the essential standing poses, high lunge warrior is excellent to begin to feel empowered through practice of a whole body standing pose. It also begins to work on subtle balance between left and right sides. Details like working the big toe and inner line of the front leg while pushing back through the back foot's heel and lifting the knee cap stabilise the balance and also help to free the spine to realise back bending within the pose. There are also many other interesting positions which can be explored with the upper body while maintaining this strong foundation from the hips down. In addition to bending the back knee varying degrees, or working with tucking the tailbone there are a lot of combinations here while still maintaining the essential lunge form. These are valuable movements that almost anybody can do to their own capacity and the perfect introduction of practicing Hatha Yoga asana which are safe and still familiar actions of the musculoskeletal system. High lunge warrior is good warm up for later backbending.

Progression

Start with the feet closer together. ​Keeping the engagement in the back leg, as you exhale crawl your front foot forward to go deeper.

​Final Alignment

Anything towards knee over the ankle bending the front knee
Step the back foot straight back from feet together Mountain Pose with little or no hip rotation, if balance is difficult, feet wider slightly
Make sure you're not over-extended. Weight should rest firmly in the ball of your toes on the back foot with the heel pushing backwards
If the back leg is fully straight you can engage your quadriceps lifting your knee cap.

Assisting

Most assistance for this pose is about getting the actions of the legs working and balanced. Helping people find right distance between their feet, how much the front knee is bent, working their big toe or otherwise stabling their ankle on the front leg, and if possible engaging the straight leg more or turning the pelvis slightly. 

Related Exercises

Knee Dips
​Move straight down through the knee of the back leg with the hands on the hips for balance.