Half Splits Pose

Instructions

1. 1Start in a low lunge with your right foot forward, then lower your left knee to the mat and untuck the left toes.
2. 2Shift your hips back over the left knee as you straighten the right leg, flexing the right foot and pressing the heel into the mat.
3. 3Place your hands on the mat on either side of the right leg, or on blocks, to support your upper body.
4. 4Keep the hips square and level, resisting the tendency to let the right hip drop outward.
5. 5Inhale to lengthen the spine, then exhale to hinge forward from the hips — not the waist — deepening the hamstring stretch.
6. 6Hold for 5 to 8 breaths, then switch sides.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Acute hamstring tear or proximal hamstring tendinopathy — any passive lengthening of the hamstring under load risks worsening the injury; avoid until cleared by a physiotherapist.
• ⚠Knee pain or meniscus issues — the back knee rests directly on the mat under moderate load; use padding and avoid if pain is present.
• ⚠Sacroiliac joint dysfunction — the asymmetric hip position can destabilize the SI joint; keep the range of motion small and stop if you feel any sacral discomfort.