Lower back, hips, knees and ankles

Low Lunge: Short Stance

A shorter step reduces the stretch intensity, making hip flexor opening more accessible while still delivering meaningful mobility benefits for your hips and spine.

How to do it

1. 1

   Step forward into a lunge, but only a small step

   Deliberately keep the gap between your front foot and your back knee shorter than feels natural. The shorter the step, the less far the hip has to open.

2. 2

   Lower the back knee and come up tall

   Bring your torso upright with the hands on the front thigh, or on blocks if you prefer some support. Upright is comfortable to hold here because the step is short.

3. 3

   Let the hips settle forward only a little

   You are looking for a mild, clear sensation at the front of the back hip, not a strong one. There is far less range available in this version, and that is what makes it a good place to start.

4. 4

   Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then change sides

   Add a blanket under the back knee for comfort, or use a chair under the hands if you would rather be more upright still.

What to watch for

Creeping the front foot further forward once you have settled, which quietly turns this back into the full stance you chose to avoid. Glance at the gap between your feet at the end of the hold and check it has not moved.

Ways to adjust it

• Chair support
• Blocks
• Blanket under back knee

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Low Lunge: Supported Chair

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Low Lunge versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Low Lunge: Classic
• Low Lunge: Movement
• Low Lunge: Small Range
• Low Lunge: Supported Chair
• Low Lunge: Twist
• Low Lunge: With Blocks

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.