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Yoga at Home Week 15

Oct 07 2015.

Triangle

Triangle pose is one of the key standing postures in many styles of yoga and is an incredible way to build strength for the whole body as it uses the core as well as the legs.

Start in Tadasana

Step your feet about 4 ft apart and raise the arms to shoulder height with palms facing front

Turn the right foot out to 90 degrees and have the heels both feet in line with one another. Firm the muscles of the legs and the right leg will have the knee cap facing the ceiling

Inhale and extend the torso towards the right moving the ribcage in a straight line.

Exhale and bend the body sideways resting the right hand on the hip (for beginners), shin or ankle. The depth of the bend should only be what is possible for you whilst keeping the torso in alignment with the hips and shoulders in a straight line.

AVOID THIS INCORRECT ALLIGNMENT!

To maintain alignment try to keep the right hip moving slightly forwards and open the chest. Reach the left arm up towards the ceiling, really extending it out of the shoulder joint in line with the tops of your shoulders. You are trying to create a straight line between the fingers of each hand.

Keep your neck in a straight line and turn the head to the left to look up to at the left hand.

Hold for 5 breaths and then inhale, press the back heel to the floor and reach the top arm even higher up to the ceiling and come up, a little like a windmill.

Reverse the feet and repeat the practice on the other side.

Posture - Extended Triangle

Sanskrit name - Utthita Trikonasana

Benefits

*Stretches and strengthens the legs

*Strengthens the abdominal muscles, in particular the obliques.

*Stimulates the abdominal organs – improving digestion

* Strengthens the back muscles

*Stretches the chest and shoulders and the hips

*Helps relieve stress

*Theraputic for flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis and sciatica

Avoid if

You have headache, low blood pressure or diarrhea or neck injuries

If you have heart condition, practice with both hands on the hips

If you have high blood pressure, turn the head to look at the floor in the final pose.

Beginners' Tip: Practise with the heel of the back foot against the wall for stability, or with the hand over the front leg placed on the hip.

You can also practise with both feet against the wall and the shoulders and hips touching the wall to truly feel the correct alignment of this posture.

Serena is a yoga teacher and the founder of The OM Space . She is a passionate believer in yoga as a life enhancing practice and runs several classes in Colombo including the very popular Yoga for Children and Yoga for Pregnancy. Serena trained in the UK with the British Wheel of Yoga and is a UK Yoga Alliance registered Senior Teacher.