Extended Triangle Pose - Utthita Trikonasana
Extended Triangle Pose - Utthita Trikonasana
Pronunciation (oo-TEE-tah trik-cone-AHS-anna)
utthita = extended
trikona = three angle or triangle
How To Do the Extended Triangle Post
1. With feet flat on the floor, and hands at your sides, in the Tadasana yoga posture, exhale, spreading your feet around four feet apart.
2. Raise your arms from your sides, stretching them out to the side, parallel to the floor, your palms facing down.
3. Your left foot should now be turned slightly to the right, and your right outwards, until it is at about ninety degrees to the starting position.
4. The backs of your heels should be aligned.
5. Tighten the muscles in your thighs, turn your right thigh outwards, tightening the muscles, and ensure that the centre of your right knee aligns with the right ankle.
6. Bend your torso to the right, from the hip, extending it over the right leg. To ensure balance, you should strengthen your left leg, and press the heel of the left foot towards the floor.
7. Twist your torso to the left, ensuring that each side remains long.
8. Your left hip should rotate forwards, and your tailbones should aim towards the your heel.
9. Your right hand should rest either on your right leg, ankle, or the floor, without distorting the yoga posture, and your left arm should reach up, toward the ceiling. Your head can be turned upwards, to look at your left hand.
10. Hold the pose for half a minute to a minute, then inhale, and raise gently back to vertical, pressing down on the back heel and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling to aid the fluidity of the movement.
11. Repeat, in reverse, for the other side.
Extended Triangle Yoga Position Modifications for Beginners
Balancing in the Extended Triangle Yoga Position can be tricky at first. To get around this, place the heel, or back of the torso, against a wall to steady yourself. If your problem is with stretching rather than balancing, use a yoga block to lean your bottom hand on, lessening the distance you need to reach.
Extended Triangle Yoga Position for Advanced Yogis
If you’re more experience, and confident in your balance, you can try shifting the front foot forward slightly, aligning the heel with the arch of the foot instead.
Extended Triangle Yoga Position Variations
Rather than stretching the top arm toward the ceiling, you can try reaching it over the ear, level with the floor.
Benefits of the Extended Triangle Yoga Pose
The focus of the Extended Triangle yoga position is the thighs. It has stress busting properties, and stretches and lengthens the legs, from ankle to thigh, as well as the hips and groin, hamstrings, shoulders and chest, and the spine.
It can aid in digestion, and stimulate the abdominal organs, and it can aid in menopause, as well as relieving backache, even when pregnant!
Other benefits include helping prevent flat feet, infertility and osteoporosis, among many other disorders and ailments.
Cautions for Extended Triangle Yoga Posture
Avoid the Extended Triangle Yoga Posture if you are suffering from headaches, low blood pressure or diarrhea.
If you have a known heart condition, this pose should be practiced against a wall, with the top arm remaining on the hip. For practitioners with high blood pressure, turn the head downwards, rather than up, and if you have neck problems, look straight ahead.