How To Keep Your High Lunge Stable and Strong

Standing poses are a staple of every yoga practice. Whether you're balancing on one foot, keeping your feet together, or stepping them wide apart, these poses offer plenty of fun and challenges while building stable hips and legs to help prevent injuries. One of the most visited standing poses in yoga classes? The mighty High Lunge.

I am sure you are not new to it but, if every time you lift your back knee from the mat you feel like you're wobbling on a questionable Tibetan rope bridge, there might be a few key adjustments you're missing. Let’s break it down so you can feel grounded, steady, and strong in your lunge!

A stable lunge starts with proper foot placement.

First things first: your foundation. A stable lunge starts with proper foot placement. Instead of lining up your feet as if you’re on a tightrope, step them hip-width apart, like train tracks. This positioning helps you keep your hips level (your ASIS points - the front bony parts of your pelvis - should be even) and provides a solid base for balance.

Quick tip: Place your hands on your hips and check if they’re at the same height. If one side is dipping, adjust your alignment!

Once your feet are set, engage them: press firmly into the entire front foot and energetically reach your back heel toward the wall behind you! Press evenly into the ball of your back foot, avoiding excessive weight on either the big toe or pinky side. Uneven weight distribution can cause your back leg and hip to rotate inward or outward, making you feel off-balance.

What are your legs doing in high lunge?

Back leg:

• Don’t force your back leg to be completely straight, especially if you have tight hip flexors! Overextending can pull your pelvis into an anterior tilt, causing an unintended backbend that disengages your core.
  Instead, bend your back knee slightly, squeeze that glute, bring your chest and shoulders in line with your hips, and gently tuck your tailbone to maintain a neutral pelvis.
  
  

Front leg:

• Make sure that, when you look at your front leg, your ankle, knee, and hip are all in the same line and your knee is not caving inward. A wobbly front knee can strain its joint and create an unstable lunge!

Engage the Inner Thighs

Now that your feet and legs are in the right place, it’s time to activate your muscles! Draw your inner thighs toward each other as if you’re trying to squeeze a yoga block between them. This subtle action fires up your glutes, stabilizes your pelvis, and prevents unnecessary wobbles.

Find the Right Stance

Deeper isn’t always better! If your lunge is stretched as long as your mat, almost like an attempt at a front split, you may be sacrificing stability for depth. A slightly shorter stance often provides more control and better engagement. Experiment with a depth that allows you to feel strong rather than overstretched.

Final Check: Breathe and Adjust

Once everything is in place, take a deep breath. Feel your feet grounding down, your legs and core engaged, and your spine lengthening. If you still feel unstable, revisit these key points, adjust as needed, and most importantly: be patient with yourself. Stability comes with practice and consistency!

Now, go rock that high lunge with confidence! And if all else fails, and you end up butt on the ground, have a laugh like you would while playing with friends on that wobbly bridge! Your body will catch up soon enough, and your positive attitude will take you wherever you want to go!

If yoga poses are more confusing than reading a map upside down, I’ve got you! The No Bullshit Yoga Pose Library breaks down more than 90 yoga poses step by step with options for beginners and more advanced yogis!