{"id":991,"date":"2026-01-12T07:09:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T07:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/?p=991"},"modified":"2026-01-12T07:35:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T07:35:21","slug":"utthan-pristhasana-lizard-pose-at-yoga-gau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/utthan-pristhasana-lizard-pose-at-yoga-gau\/","title":{"rendered":"Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Utthan pristhasana is also known as the lizard pose. This is one of those ancient poses that have been used for decades for opening up the pelvic region naturally. It helps in relaxing the muscles of the pelvic area, especially the hips and adds to their strength and flexibility. This posture reflects the ancient understanding of yoga that was based on helping the human body with great mobility and primal movements. This pose is also used to stay grounded. It is one of the grounding poses that yoga prefers for the practitioner. Now let&#8217;s talk about this very pose. Utthan pristhasana is made up of three words. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Utthan means extended or a way to stretch, and pritha means the body&#8217;s back portion and asana stands for posture. They all come together to form a meaning that a yoga pose helps in stretching the back of the body. This pose is elongated. This beautiful pose is used to keep one grounded and connected to the mother earth. Talking about the origin, in this blog, we will understand everything about this unique yoga pose. We will understand its benefits, the steps that help in performing the right kind of uddhana pristhasana, the precautions and modifications that are required during the practice and a lot more facts about uddhana pristhasana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introduction to Utthan Pristhasana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let&#8217;s review a quick introduction to this beautiful yoga pose. This pose is not exactly mentioned directly in the classical texts of yoga, like Hatha Yoga Pradipika, or something similar, but it is an evolved pose that came from the traditional yogic practice and has been modified in modern times to benefit recent generations in healing. In simpler words, it is a modern yogic lineage that works to attain good movement and improve joint health in the human body. The reason that it is called the Utthan Pristhasana is that it resembles the animal-like structure or posture during the practice. This practice helps in adding harmony to the whole body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This posture was modified and refined throughout time! This pose is now a vital part of different yogic practices. These practices are included in contemporary Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa sequences. This pose is used for sessions that aim to improve the health of the spine and hips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/how-to-do-lizard-pose-1024x683-1.jpg\" alt=\"Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)\" class=\"wp-image-992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/how-to-do-lizard-pose-1024x683-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/how-to-do-lizard-pose-1024x683-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/how-to-do-lizard-pose-1024x683-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, Utthan Pristhasana is a perfect blend of ancient wisdom of yogic discipline and the modern anatomy of the human body. It is a powerful yoga asana that helps in ensuring physical freedom and inner security for the practitioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:25px\">Physical Benefits of Utthan Pristhasana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Also known as the Utthan Pristhasana, this is a very effective pose in adding physical benefits to the body. Some of the best benefits that it offers to the practitioners are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;1. Hip mobility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/default.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-995\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7765838370270874;width:752px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/default.avif 620w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/default-300x169.avif 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This pose is used by different yogic practices as a hip opener. It also works as a hip flexor, and that helps in releasing the stiffness that can be caused by long sitting hours or hectic schedules. It also improves the range of motion of the hip joint. It also works as a hip rotator and strengthens the groin areas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Energy booster for the lower body<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Utthan Prishtana helps by strengthening the gluteal muscles. It also helps in stabilising the muscles in the pelvic area. It is also known to improve the working of the quadriceps and hamstrings. It helps in maintaining a great balance in the body and supports and strengthens the lower body.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Better posture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This pose is also effective in improving the body posture. This pose helps in lengthening the spinal cord that in turn helps in improving the posture by opening up the front body. It also reduces the compression in the lower body, ensuring a better posture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. A good stretch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Utthan Pristhasana is known for its stretching benefits. It gives a wonderful stretch to the hamstrings. It also tones up the calf muscles. This stretch helps in adding flexibility to the muscles and prepares the body for performing various types of forward bends and poses that include splitting.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hand_imgupscaler.ai_V1Fast_2K-1024x578.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hand_imgupscaler.ai_V1Fast_2K-1024x578.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hand_imgupscaler.ai_V1Fast_2K-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hand_imgupscaler.ai_V1Fast_2K-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hand_imgupscaler.ai_V1Fast_2K-1536x866.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hand_imgupscaler.ai_V1Fast_2K-2048x1155.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Good knee support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This pose is great for improving the health of various joints, especially of the leg region. Utthan Prishtasana helps in strengthening the ankle area and the knee joint. It is actively used by various athletes and active practitioners for improving joint health.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Good pelvic health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This pose also helps in improving the blood circulation around the pelvic region. This, in turn, helps in releasing the tension in the lower body and the pelvic region. This <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/300-hour-yoga-teacher-training-in-kerala.php\">yoga<\/a><\/strong> pose helps in improving the function of the lower abdomen.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Preparatory Pose<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Utthan Pristhasana helps as a preparatory pose for various advanced levels of asanas like Hanumanasana, pigeon poses, deep lunges and other complex yoga poses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Steps to Perform Utthan Pristhasana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are the steps to perform the Utthan Pristhasana in the correct way.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1.<\/strong>You have to start by rolling your favourite yoga mat and standing on it. Take a few breaths. Keep your spine upright. And touch the ground using your feet. You have to begin the pose by bringing yourself into Adho Mukha Svanasana, that is, the downward-facing dog pose.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. <\/strong>Now you have to inhale deeply. After that, you have to lift your right leg upward and then back. Upward and backwards.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3.<\/strong> Now you have to exhale and bring the foot outside the hand (right one). Your toes must be pointing forward and should be a bit outward.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4.<\/strong> In this step, you have to lower your left knee and make it touch the mat. Your toes must be tucked to allow a deep stretch to the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5.<\/strong> Now you have to slide your right foot a bit outward.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.himalayanyogashram.com\/blog\/uttana-kurmasana-tortoise-pose\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <\/a><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.himalayanyogashram.com\/blog\/uttana-kurmasana-tortoise-pose\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Utthan<\/a> <\/strong>Pristhasana This is done to keep the knees aligned with your ankles. Now, make sure that your hips are sinking down and forward at the same time. You can feel the stretch in your hip and inner thighs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6.<\/strong> Next, you have to keep both palms on the mat right below your shoulders. Now you have to slow down on your forearms.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. <\/strong>Make sure that your spinal cord is lengthened from the tailbone. Do not collapse.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8.<\/strong> After that, you have to keep your shoulders and chest very broad. Make sure that your neck is upright and long, and you are gazing forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9.<\/strong>  Now take some deep breaths. Make sure that your hip or pelvis region is relaxed. Continue the pose for five to ten breaths. Step nine, gently release the pose. Come back to the downward-facing dog pose and then stand up in an upright position, releasing the pose<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"YOGA TUTORIAL: How to do a Lizard Pose\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A5u1tN7kWKY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\">Precautions &amp; Modifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1<\/strong>. Never force it&#8230;it should be slow and mindful.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2.<\/strong> Always use yoga props like yoga blocks or a bolster to avoid any kind of injury and ensure good support to the body while practising.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3.<\/strong> Always keep the knees aligned with the ankles during the postures to avoid any knee injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4.<\/strong> Make sure that you are engaging your core muscles to avail the best benefits of this yoga pose.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5.<\/strong> If you are feeling or experiencing any kind of sharp pain during the practice of the Utthan Pristhasana, then please stop it right there and tell your yoga instructor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. <\/strong>Always perform such yoga practices under the guidance of a yoga instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/what-is-surya-namaskar-12-stem-how-is-it\/\">Surya Namaskar 12 Steps\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Modifications:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can use blocks, you can place your back knee on the yoga mat, you can skip lowering your forearms, you can use props like folded blankets to support your groin!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So this was all about Utthan Pristasana. The Utthan Pristhasanais a great pose that helps in toning the lower body, improving reproductive health, and massaging and enhancing the working of the abdominal area and organs. This pose dates back to the ancient traditional practice and has evolved to aid the modern lifestyle. Practising this pose in the daily practice will ensure you have great flexibility, inner strength, good posture, and great body alignment. Besides the physical benefits, this pose is also known to relieve stress and ensure a great inner harmony. This pose helps in self-discovery and improves your overall well-being holistically.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Utthan pristhasana is also known as the lizard pose. This is one of those ancient poses that have been used for decades for opening up the pelvic region naturally. It helps in relaxing the muscles of the pelvic area, especially the hips and adds to their strength and flexibility. This postur&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yoga-blogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=991"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/991\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1005,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/991\/revisions\/1005"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yogagau.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}