Lizard — Forearms on Floor

Quick Intro

Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down (Lizard — Forearms on Floor in English) is a yoga exercise performed from Utthan Pristhasana with the hands inside the front foot, lowering down onto the forearms with the elbows stacked under the shoulders.

Equipment Needed

No equipment is needed to perform Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down. A yoga mat is optional and adds cushioning under the forearms and back knee.

Why Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down Matters

Lowering onto the forearms deepens the same stretch the base pose already targets, while adding a new demand on top of it: the front hip crease continues opening through the hip flexor (iliopsoas) and inner thigh (adductors), the seat (gluteus maximus) lengthens across the deeply bent front hip and the front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) stretches along the back leg. The mid-back (latissimus dorsi) now works to keep the chest from collapsing toward the floor.

Flexibility is the main demand, and an extreme one, with a little coordination needed to lower the chest and hips together.

When to Do It

Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down works well once Utthan Pristhasana already holds steady with the front foot wide and the hips sinking evenly, since dropping onto the forearms only deepens a stretch that’s already well established. Most sessions with a deep hip-opening focus can include it once the straight-arm version needs no further correction.

A steady straight-arm Lizard Pose with the front foot already wide of the hands. This version deepens that same stretch without changing the underlying alignment.
Shoulders and thoracic spine that are ready for the added openness this depth requires. The forearms ask for more than the straight-arm version does.
The deepest expression of this particular hip-flexor and groin stretch. This version sits at the top of the whole Lizard Pose progression.

For most people, the hips continuing to sink evenly toward the floor matters more than how low the chest gets, since dropping the chest without the hips following adds strain to the front knee.

Getting Ready

A steady straight-arm Utthan Pristhasana hold, front foot wide of the hands, previews the base this deeper version builds from. Lowering onto one forearm at a time first, checking how the front knee responds, previews how much depth is available today.

Lower onto the forearms only as far as the hips can stay sinking evenly toward the floor. Dropping the chest without the hips following adds strain to the front knee.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The lunge. From Lizard Pose, confirm the front foot is wide of the hands.

2. The lower. Walk the forearms down toward the floor, one at a time.

3. The stack. Settle the elbows directly under the shoulders.

4. The sink. Let the hips continue sinking evenly as the chest lowers.

5. The rise. Press back up through the hands and return to a low lunge.

How Many, How Often

Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down is dosed by breath count, since a steady breath deepens the hip-crease stretch gradually through the forearm-supported hold.

Level	Where you’re at	What to do
Beginner	New to lowering onto the forearms	Hold for 3 breaths per side, keeping one hand on the floor if both forearms feel like too much at once.
Intermediate	The hold feels steady with the hips sinking evenly	Hold for 5 breaths per side, letting the chest lower a little further.
Advanced	The hold no longer needs active correction	Hold for 6 to 8 breaths per side, the deepest version of this whole pose family.

Keeping the hips sinking evenly matters more here than how low the chest reaches, since a chest that drops while the hips stall trades depth for strain on the front knee.

Modifications and Variations

Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down sits at the demanding end of its own progression, with an easier step below it.

For an easier entry point, Utthan Pristhasana keeps the hands flat on the floor instead of lowering to the forearms, reducing the depth of the stretch and the shoulder-openness it requires.

Progression path: Utthan Pristhasana — Elevated Hands → Utthan Pristhasana → Utthan Pristhasana — Forearms Down

Build a steady, evenly-sinking straight-arm hold before lowering to the forearms, since the added depth only helps once that alignment is already reliable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Dropping the chest before the hips are ready to follow. It adds strain to the front knee for very little added stretch. Lowering slowly enough for the hips to keep pace with the chest protects the joint.

Letting the elbows splay wider than the shoulders. Wide elbows lose the structural support this position depends on. Keeping them stacked directly under the shoulders holds the position steady.

Rushing straight to the forearms without pausing on the hands first. A sudden drop skips the controlled step this depth needs. Pausing on the hands, checking the front knee, is the safer approach.

Collapsing the chest instead of keeping it lifted toward the floor with control. An uncontrolled collapse loses the openness this version depends on through the mid-back. A slow, controlled lower keeps that engagement active.

After Your Set

Pressing back up through the hands and stepping to a low lunge releases the hips after the deep hold. Rocking the hips gently side to side for a few breaths settles the front hip crease before moving to the other side.

Going Deeper

This version is usually trained as an addition to an already-confident straight-arm Lizard Pose, not attempted as a first introduction to this hip-opening shape. The most common way it stalls isn’t hip tightness by itself, but the chest dropping faster than the hips can follow, which adds strain to the front knee for very little added stretch. Keeping both moving together, every session regardless of how deep the forearms go, is what keeps the depth safe.

Someone who already holds a steady straight-arm Utthan Pristhasana generally manages a 3-breath hold on one forearm within the first two to three weeks, and reaches a settled 5-breath hold on both forearms somewhere in the five to seven week range.

How to Know You’re Improving

A steady straight-arm Utthan Pristhasana hold, held first
A 3-breath hold with one forearm down and the hips staying even
A comfortable 5-breath hold with both forearms down
A hold that feels roughly even on both sides

The hips sinking evenly with the chest, not how low the chest reaches, is what progress looks like here.

Muscles Worked

Iliopsoas (the hip flexor group at the front of the hip, stretched deeper once the forearms reach the floor)
Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, opened wide as the front knee falls out)
Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, lengthened across the front hip at the lowest depth)
Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, stretched down the back thigh)
Latissimus Dorsi (a large back muscle, working to keep the chest from collapsing between the arms)

FAQ

Do I need to reach the forearms to benefit from Lizard Pose? No, the straight-arm version delivers a hip-flexor and groin stretch on its own. This forearm version is an optional deeper step, not a requirement.

Why does my front knee ache when I lower onto my forearms? This usually means the chest dropped faster than the hips could follow. Slowing the descent so both move together usually resolves it.

Is it normal for one forearm to reach the floor before the other? Yes, most people carry some asymmetry in hip-flexor tightness between sides. Lowering one forearm at a time accommodates that naturally.

Should my elbows touch the floor, or is hovering close enough? Hovering just above the floor is a valid depth. The elbows reaching the floor fully is simply the deepest end of the range, not a requirement.

Next in this series: Utthan Pristhasana, the straight-arm version this forearm-supported entry deepens.