Utthita Parsvakonsana
Extended Side Angle Pose
This is a deceptively difficult pose to master. I remember the first few years of my yoga practice and how frustrating it was to be constantly reminded to do something I had no idea how to do. In this case, that was lifting the top hip (in the picture below it’s the right hip) up and back in order to get the stretch through the side of the body.
Never fear, however. I went through that frustration so that hopefully you won’t have to. A few reminders (and the tips below as well) to maybe get around that. One – look at warrior 2, that alignment of your hips is the same here as there. Two – given that, try to get your hips in place before you go into the pose, that way all you have to do is keep them there. Three – cross you fingers and hope for the best.
How to
Stand with the feet one leg's length distance apart. The right foot is turned forward, the left to a 90 degree angle. Keep the hips open to the side. Exhale as you bend the right knee and take the right hand to the floor on the outside of the foot. Keep the left hip lifting up and back, and feel this movement through the whole of the left side of the body. The left arm lifts up and over the head as you gaze to the palm of the hand.
Remember your back foot, and keep it pressing into the earth.
Modifications
Rather than taking the hand to the floor, take the right elbow across the left thigh, near the knee. This makes it easier to keep the left hip lifting up and back, and to get a deep stretch through the side of the body which is what we're looking for in this pose. Even if you are quite flexible, this modification is often a good idea. I encourage anyone to at the least try the modification and see if it gives a deeper stretch than the full pose. If so, why not work with the modification?
Transitional Poses
| Entry | Difficulty | Category | Exit | Difficulty | Category |
| Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose) | Standing/Forward Bend | Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose) | Standing/Forward Bend | ||
| Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) | Standing/Balance | Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) | Standing/Balance | ||
| Parivrita Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle) | Standing | Parivrita Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle) | Standing | ||
| Samastiti (Equal Standing) | Standing | Prasariita Padottanasana [A, B, C, D] (Wide Leg Intense Stretch) | Standing/Forward Bend | ||
| Virabhadrasana [A, B, C] (Warrior) | Standing/Balance(C)/Forward Bend | Samastiti (Equal Standing) | Standing | ||
| Virabhadrasana [A, B, C] (Warrior) | Standing/Balance(C) | ||||