- Hi everyone, and 
welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

I'm Adriene, and today we
are going to learn High Lunge

as part of our 
Foundations of Yoga series.

So let's hop on the mat 
and learn High Lunge.

(upbeat music)

Okay, so today we're gonna
begin at the front of the mat,

and I'm just going to walk
you through a couple postures

to get us to where we 
need to be for High Lunge.

So let's step the 
feet hip-width apart

and just take a second 
to come into your best

and most beautiful 
Mountain Pose.

On an inhale, we'll 
reach the fingertips

up towards the sky, let the
fingertips kiss above the head.

And nice and easy, 
softening the knees,

we'll come into a Forward Fold.

Take a couple of breaths here.

Take a second here to 
just relax the head over.

Check in with the body.

And then we'll bring 
the fingertips to the mat

and step the left foot 
back into a Runner's Lunge.

Ha, this pose 
might look familiar.

Taking a couple seconds here
to check in with the body

and be with the breath,
find your footing.

And then when you're ready,

loop the shoulders 
forward, up and back.

Bring your
awareness to your center

as you hug the navel 
in towards the spine.

Really pressing 
into that back pinky toe.

I know that seems 
strange but pressing

into that back pinky toe 
so that we can really bring

full awareness 
into that back foot

as we drive that left heel
towards the back of the mat.

Engage both inner thighs here

so both inner 
thighs are hugging in

towards the midline of the mat.

As we draw the fingertips 
towards the waistline,

we stay open through the
chest, and when you're ready,

following your breath, 
press into that front leg.

And from your heart, 
from your center, lift up.

Hmm, a lot of work 
going on in the legs here

so a couple of action points.

Hug those inner thighs in
towards the center of the mat

so we keep that 
engaging quality hugging

in towards the center.

Just like I do 
in runner's lunge,

I'm breathing into the 
front of that left hip crease

while I'm drawing back 
with my right hip crease

so that my hip 
points can face forward.

They may not right away

but eventually we kind 
of allow the body

to shift through practice 
and through breath.

Keeping a nice, spacious 
open quality in the heart,

in the collar bone,
in the sternum here,

lifting up towards the sky.

I can keep the hands 
on the waistline here

or I can maybe take 
the palms to the ribs.

So I'm building this pose 
from the ground up, right,

making sure I can 
see my front big toe.

So as I build 
from the ground up,

I can begin to check in with
the body from the feet up.

So let's start at the pelvis
here, hands on the waistline.

Using the hands 
to tuck the pelvis.

Then maybe bringing the 
hands to soften the ribcage.

Still hugging everything 
in towards the center line.

Also drawing the navel 
in towards the spine here.

Then keep traveling up,
heart's lifted,

shoulders looping 
forward, up and back,

shoulder blades drawing 
in together and down.

I can stay here, 
hands on the waistline,

or for full expression,
I can inhale.

Reach the fingertips 
forward, up and back,

perhaps sinking into that
front knee a little bit deeper.

Breathing.

Mmm.

Let's take the pinkies,

turn them towards 
the front of the mat

so we can really allow 
the shoulders to open up here.

And then this is yogi's choice.

You can stay flying V here.

You can bring 
the palms together.

We can even 
release the fingertips

and interlace them behind,

opening the chest, 
the shoulders.

Or we can keep them on 
the waistline for stability.

To come out of the posture, 
I'll inhale in, exhale,

bring the belly to the top
of the thigh first, step one.

Step two, fingertips to the mat,
back to my runner's lunge.

From here, I'll walk that back
foot up to meet the front.

It doesn't matter 
how many steps it takes.

Take a full breath 
here in Forward Fold.

And then we'll bring 
the fingertips to the mat.

Step the right foot back

to balance it out 
on the other side.

Take a second, find your 
footing in Runner's Lunge.

Go through your checklist.

Build your posture 
from the ground up.

Set up your High 
Lunge with integrity,

with a little love, 
and of course, full breath.

When you're ready, loop the
shoulders forward, up and back.

Bring the hands 
to the waistline.

Press strong 
into that front foot.

Drive that right heel 
towards the back of the mat

and High Lunge 
on the other side.

Each side's different,
of course,

going through 
our checklist here,

really sinking 
into that front leg,

making sure I can 
see my front big toe.

Then tucking the pelvis,
stitching that navel

in towards the spine 
and keep traveling up.

Soften the front rib cage.

The tendency is 
to overdo it here,

so tuck the pelvis, 
soften the ribcage.

Head over heart, 
heart over pelvis here is

what I'm aiming for.

I can stay here or 
I can inhale, full expression,

reach the fingertips 
forward, up and back.

High Lunge, breathe.

And playing with your own 
expression here, of course,

always that's on the table.

Squeezing the inner 
thighs in towards the midline.

To come out of the posture, 
I inhale in, exhale,

release the fingertips down.

Belly comes to the top 
of the thighs, step one.

Fingertips to the mat, step two,

and here I can either 
rock that back foot up

to meet the front, Forward Fold,

or I can plant the 
palms and step it back

for a little Downward Dog

to peddle out, the legs.

Ta-da.

Downward Dog.

Hi Lou.

(dog's tongue slurping)

Alrighty, so 
that was High Lunge.

Obviously, a great 
strengthener for the legs,

but one thing I love 
about this posture is

it's about the strengthening
but also the lengthening.

There's a nice balance there,
and it's a good challenge,

and a great metaphor for life,
if you ask me.

As always, please leave 
comments, questions below.

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I hear it's 
really good (chuckles).

Have a wonderful day,
enjoy High Lunge,

and I'll see you next time.

Namaste.

(upbeat music)