Revolved Lunge Pose: Parvrtta Anjaneyasana

Why is lunge pose (Anjaneyasana) such a staple of yoga practice? Lunge poses, in all their variations, are at the heart of vinyasa and Hatha practices. Anjaneyasana lends itself to many different variations. There are high lunges and low lunges, forward and backward bending lunges. And there are several forms of lunge pose with revolution (Parvrtta Anjaneyasana). Combining lunge pose with spinal rotation is simply a winning combination.

Lunge pose is a powerful way to counteract the effects of habitual sitting. I’ve found that lunge pose is the most accessible way for my students to stretch their hip flexors, muscles that can shorten over time if we sit all day. Since the back knee bend is quite open, people with range of motion issues in their knees can practice lunge poses without pain.

Likewise, sitting and leaning on keyboards, counters, steering wheels, etc. can cause our thoracic spine to curve forward over time. Practicing twisting yoga poses helps keep our thoracic spine flexible. Spinal rotation is a way to release tension in the soft tissues around the spine and increase our overall mobility, especially in the upper body. Twisting stimulates circulation, particularly to the muscles, fascia and organs of the abdomen and thorax. Spinal rotation also compresses our internal organs to stimulate digestion.

How we twist

It is important to understand where rotation actually occurs in the spine. A popular alignment “rule” instructs you to keep your hips square when you turn to create more twist in the lumbar spine. Unfortunately, because the facet joints of the lumbar spine prevent this section of the spine from twisting more than 1 to 2 degrees, the result of this action, over time, is to cause the sacro joint to bear the twist. -iliac (SI). Rotation of the SI joint can, over time, destabilize the joint and cause dysfunction, potentially leading to a number of painful conditions, such as sciatica.

The thoracic spine, the part connected to the rib cage, is designed for rotation. So when you do a twist, keep in mind that this is where you should focus your efforts. Rather than keeping the pelvis square in twists, allow it to move in the desired direction of rotation, while focusing the twist on the thoracic spine.

Parvrtta Anjaneyasana is a great pose for exploring this concept because your hips have plenty of room to move.

How to practice lunge pose with revolution

Gather your accessories: a yoga mat and a folded yoga blanket (optional) under your knees.

How to approach lunge pose with revolution

1. There are several ways to enter a lunge pose. You can approach it from Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) by simply stepping your left foot forward. You will bear your weight on your right knee and your left foot.
2. You can also start with Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana). From Dog Pose, extend your left leg toward the sky, then swing the leg forward, resting your foot between your hands.
3. You can also start from Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Bend forward into Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana). Bend your knees so you can place both hands on the floor next to your feet. Step your right leg back about three feet, so that your left shin is vertical. Place your right knee on the floor.

Add a twist

1. From lunge pose, with your right knee on the floor and left foot between your hands, lift your torso to an upright position.
2. Rotate your torso towards the left leg. Lengthen your torso as you twist, allowing your pelvis to rotate with the torso. Your left hip will be higher than your right hip.
3. Keep your right leg active. Extend through your right heel.
4. Place your right elbow on the outside of your left thigh. If this restricts your breathing, lift yourself a little higher and place your right hand on the outside of your left thigh instead.
5. If your elbow is on the outside of your thigh, like in the photo at the top of this article, place your hands together in front of your chest in Anjali Mudra (prayer position).
6. Breathe and relax. You may feel like your torso wants to move in and out of the twist as you exhale and inhale. Relax your pose enough to feel your body oscillate in time with your breathing.
7. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths.
8. Relax by turning your torso so that it rests on your left leg.
9. Return to tabletop pose, downward facing dog pose, or forward bend pose. Relax here for a few breaths to feel the effects of Revolved Lunge Pose.
10. Repeat on the other side.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice, and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST magazine and is the editor-in-chief of Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member of GreenTREE Yoga, a nonprofit organization that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and the folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy Awards.