I remember the first time Revolved Lunge came up in my regular yoga class when I was newly pregnant. My eyes widened and a confused look came across my face because I really had no clue how to modify revolved lunge for pregnancy in a way that wouldn’t make me stick out like a sore thumb + give me the benefits of the pose.

Now that I’ve been a prenatal yoga teacher for a long while (and one who has practiced yoga throughout two pregnancies myself), I’d know how great twisting postures can be for pregnant students.

Twists can feel SOOO good and help get the stuck places in their bodies UNstuck!

In this post, I want to show you a few of my best tricks for how to modify revolved lunge for pregnancy and after.

NOTE: These twists are also amazing for postpartum moms, too, so I love including them in any postnatal yoga class I teach. I’ll include some tips for postpartum moms below as well.

See also The Complete Beginner‘s Guide to Prenatal Yoga

How to Modify Revolved Lunge Yoga Pose in Pregnancy Yoga, Postnatal Yoga, and Beyond

Twist Lunge Modification #1: Stay upright.

Simply bring your hands to prayer just like you would normally. With an inhale, lift your chest into your thumbs, reaching the crown of your head reaching toward the sky to find maximum length in your spine. With a big exhale twist (in either direction!) turn your torso to the side, but keep yourself upright.

Refinement for pregnancy.

During pregnancy, you want to avoid anything that causes compression to the uterus. So, take twists more in the upper body and keep the lower body as neutral as possible. Think about the belly button facing straight forward, and twisting more from the chest, upper back, and shoulders.

Why I love this variation for postpartum moms.

After you have your baby, it takes some time to regain your core strength. This upright version of the lunge twist allows new moms the gently start to regain core strength without much possibility of doing too much too soon.

It also gives postpartum moms a nice stretch of the shoulders and chest, which exhausted heroes (you know, people who hold babies for hours day and night to feed them) desperately need.

See also Baby Yoga: 8 Yoga Poses You Can Do With Your Baby

Twist Lunge Modification #2: Twist the other way.

This pregnancy modification for lunge twist might be more common than the one above, but I find it to be a little more tricky for most bodies.

Why? The very act of folding forward in a lunge can be smooshy for the baby belly (that’s the scientific term, Ya’ll). So mamas with baby bumps will need to make sure that their feet are at least hip distance width in the lunge, and both hands will come to the floor to the inside of the front foot first.

Brace yourself with the hand closest to the front foot. If the left foot is forward, you’ll keep your left hand on the floor. Or, bring that forearm onto the front thigh and then twist.

Find lots of length in your spine as you inhale. Then as you exhale reach your other hand up toward the sky finding a twist in the process.

Some moms will be able to bring their hands together into a prayer position at the heart (Anjali Mudra). But, it’s can make it harder to balance, and it’s not necessary to get the benefits of the posture.

Twisting Lunge Modification #3: Thread the Needle Pose

I know, I know. This isn’t exactly a lunge. But if the goal of practicing a twisted lunge is to open the shoulders and chest, this is a pretty great alternative.

It’s great for pregnant women because there’s really no chance of compressing the belly here and I really just can’t think of a pose that’s more effective at opening the chest.

From hands and knees, inhale reach your right hand out to the right, parallel to the floor. With our exhale, “thread” the right arm between your left wrist and left knee — your right shoulder will come to the floor. Rest the side of your head to the floor. Use your left fingertips to deepen the twist only if your breath is slow and steady. Or, bring the left hand to the sacrum and use it to turn your collarbones up toward the sky.

Don’t forget the other side!