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Skandasana

Side Lunge Pose

Skanda = a name of Kartikeya, the son of Shiva

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 25 September 2026

A deep side lunge: one knee bent in a squat, the other leg straight with the toes turned up.

Family
Standing
Level
intermediate
Lineage
modern
Works on
hips · hamstrings · ankles

The yogic view

Skandasana is a modern posture. Its name borrows from Skanda, a name of Kartikeya in the Hindu pantheon, but the shape itself does not appear in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita or Shiva Samhita — it belongs to the twentieth-century expansion of the asana repertoire.

Benefits

  • Opens the hips and groin deeply on the straight-leg side while strengthening the bent-knee side
  • Builds ankle and knee stability in a loaded lunge position
  • Improves lateral mobility, which most forward/backward-focused sequences neglect
  • Prepares the body for wider squats and deep hip-opening postures

How to practise

  1. From a wide standing straddle, turn the right toes out slightly.
  2. Bend the right knee deeply and sit the hips down and back over the right foot.
  3. Straighten the left leg, turning the toes up and resting on the heel.
  4. Bring the hands to the floor, a block, or together at the chest.
  5. Keep the chest lifted and the right knee tracking over the right foot.
  6. Hold five breaths, then shift across to the other side.

For seated or floor-based work, use a clean, stable surface with enough support for comfort.

Common mistakes

Letting the bent knee collapse inward. Track the knee over the toes to protect the joint.

Rounding the spine to reach the floor. Bend the knee more and use blocks under the hands rather than rounding the back to touch down.

Turning the straight leg's foot flat. Keeping the toes lifted and the heel grounded protects the knee of the straight leg in the full expression.

Variations and progressions

Easier: Keep the hands on the floor or blocks for support and do not sink as low into the bent knee.

Easier: Round or bend the straight leg's knee slightly if the hamstring is very tight.

Harder: Bring the palms together at the heart once balanced, or flow slowly between sides without pausing.

Breath and energy

As a twentieth-century addition to the standing repertoire, skandasana carries no classical textual reference despite its Sanskrit-derived name (Skanda, son of Shiva). Practically, it is used as a hip-opening, breath-steadying transition pose within modern flowing sequences, the breath kept even to match the sustained muscular effort of the lunge.

What research shows

There is little dedicated research on this specific shape. As a loaded lateral lunge, it plausibly improves hip and groin mobility and single-leg strength in line with general findings on deep squatting and lunging exercise, but no claims beyond ordinary strength-and-flexibility training should be made.

Questions about Skandasana

+ Is skandasana a classical yoga pose?
No — despite its Sanskrit name, it is a modern posture from the twentieth-century asana repertoire, not found in the classical hatha texts.
+ What does skandasana stretch?
Mainly the inner thigh and groin of the straight leg, while the bent-knee side works the quadriceps and glutes.
+ Is skandasana the same as a side lunge?
Yes, functionally it is a deep yoga-style side lunge with the back foot's toes lifted.
+ How do I make skandasana easier?
Use blocks under the hands and don't lower as deeply into the bent knee; bend the straight leg's knee slightly if the hamstring is tight.
+ How long should you hold Skandasana?
Hold Skandasana for five to eight slow breaths, which is roughly thirty to forty-five seconds, and repeat once or twice if you want more from it. Where the posture is one-sided, practise both sides for the same length of time. Let the breath decide: if it becomes short, held or noisy, you have stayed too long or gone too deep.
+ Is Skandasana suitable for beginners?
Not as a first posture. Skandasana is an intermediate standing shape: it assumes you can already hold the foundational postures for around eight calm breaths and move in and out of them with control. Most people are ready after a few months of regular practice, and the preparatory postures listed on this page are the honest route in.
+ Who should avoid or modify Skandasana?
For Skandasana specifically: knee injury; hip injury; ankle injury. More generally, modify or skip it if you have an acute injury or recent surgery in the area it loads, if you are pregnant and have not been given individual guidance, or if the shape produces sharp, pinching, radiating or electric sensation. Numbness, tingling or pain travelling down a limb is a nerve signal to stop and be assessed, not to breathe through. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
+ What should you practise before and after Skandasana?
Prepare with Malasana (Garland Pose (Yogi Squat)), Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend). Release afterwards with Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Balasana (Child's Pose). Both lists are links on this page, and either can be shortened when time is limited — but do not skip preparation for a posture that loads a joint at end range.
+ What does Skandasana mean in Sanskrit?
Skandasana translates as side lunge pose — Skanda = a name of Kartikeya, the son of Shiva The name follows Sanskrit convention, but the posture itself is modern and is not described in the classical texts.

Prepare with

Release with

Cautions

  • knee injury
  • hip injury
  • ankle injury

More standing

Keep reading

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.