Pose of the Week: Utthita Trikonasana – The Extended Triangle Pose

A standing Pose that can tone your legs, reduce depression, stress and can also improve mental and physical health in your life! We are talking about such an asana today. Utthita Trikonasana-Stretches your whole body and improves your body balance. In Sanskrit, ‘Utthita’ means Extended, ‘Tri’ means Three, ‘Kona’ means angle, and ‘Asana’ means Pose. This asana is pronounced as oo-TEE-tah tree-koh-NAH-sun-nuh, Sanskrit- उत्थितत्रिकोणासन. Trikonasana posture reflects the triangular shape created by your body in the full version of this pose. This pose requires keeping your eyes open in order to maintain body balance and stability.

Benefits

• This pose helps to improve your metabolism and stimulate the organs
• Releases stress, anxiety, depression, and calms your mind
• Improves digestion and reduces those extra kilos
• Provides energy, balance, stamina and develops concentration
• Stretches your hamstrings, groins, hips, and legs
• Opens the chest, shoulders, and relieves lower back pain
• Strengthens the muscles in your back, thighs, and hips
• Therapeutic for infertility, sciatica and flat feet

Precautions & Contradictions

Practitioners who are suffering from low Blood Pressure, migraine, Diarrhea, or a Headache should avoid this pose. It is always advisable to attempt this pose under the guidance of an experienced Yoga teacher. If you are suffering from neck injuries, then do not turn your head to look the top hand, rather look straight forward. Those with High Blood Pressure should turn their head downward. People with heart problems should practice this asana against a wall. Discuss with your doctor before practicing this yoga pose, if you have any recent or current medical concerns.

Procedure

• Begin in standing position with your feet wide (about four feet or one leg) apart.
• Now, open and stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder height.
• Move your right foot out 90 degrees and your left toes in about 45 degrees. Here you can notice that your right foot toes are pointing toward the top of your mat.
• Keep your feet pressed against the mat and inhale gently. While you exhale, bend your right arm and touch the ground (with right arm) while your left arm goes up.
• Ensure to keep your waist straight and your body is now bent sideways. Take deep breaths.
• Now, inhale and come up, bring your arms down to your sides.
• Relax and repeat on the other side.

Variations

Beginners can take the support of wall to place their back heel if they feel unsteady or uncomfortable in this pose. You can improve your stability by bracing your back torso against a wall. If you want more stability, then rest your bottom hand on a block rather than on the ground.

To deepen the stretch, extend your top arm over your top ear. When you stretch your upper arm, it will become parallel with the ground.

Tips

Ensure to keep your stomach empty before you practice this pose. Have your meals at least four to five hours before you practice this pose so that you can expand your body fully during the practice.

Practice warm-up exercises of the whole body before you attempt this pose. While bending forward do it slowly and gently so as not to lose your body balance. Do not rest your lower hand directly on your knee. This may create too much pressure on your knee joint.

Conclusion

Regular practice of this asana will bring strength and stability to your everyday routine. Moreover, it will bring both physical and mental equilibrium in your life, which is one of the important aspects of our life. You just need a yoga mat and lots of willing power to start this asana! Now, don’t wait, just start your practice and enjoy the journey of yoga.