Extended Side Angle Yoga Pose
Deepen your stretch with Extended Side Angle Pose. This yoga pose lengthens the spine, opens hips, and strengthens legs, improving balance and flexibility.
Description
A standing yoga pose that targets the legs, knees, and ankles, while also stretching the groins, spine, waist, chest, and shoulders. It also helps stimulate the abdominal organs.
How to Do Extended Side Angle Yoga Pose
- 1Setup
Start in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), then step your feet wide apart, about 3-4 feet, with your hands on your hips.
- 2Setup
Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and slightly turn your left foot in, aligning your right heel with the arch of your left foot. Bend your right knee directly over your right ankle, ensuring your shin is perpendicular to the floor.
- 3
Place your right forearm gently on your right thigh, or if comfortable, bring your right hand to the floor outside your right foot or onto a yoga block.
- 4
Extend your left arm straight up towards the ceiling, then reach it overhead, creating a long, continuous line from your left heel to your left fingertips. Turn your head to gaze up at your left hand.
- 5
Actively press through the outer edge of your left foot and lengthen through your spine, maintaining an open chest. Hold for the desired duration, then repeat on the other side.
Tips
- Keep your chest open and stacked over your hips; avoid collapsing forward onto your front thigh, ensuring both sides of your torso remain long.
- Engage your core muscles to support your torso and maintain a long, neutral spine throughout the pose, preventing any rounding of the back.
- Press firmly through the outer edge of your back foot to ground yourself and deepen the stretch along your entire back leg and side body.
- If placing your hand on the floor is challenging, use a yoga block under your hand for support or keep your forearm on your thigh to maintain proper alignment.
Common Mistakes
- ×Front knee collapsing inward: Ensure your front knee tracks directly over your ankle, preventing it from caving inward, by actively engaging your outer hip and thigh muscles.
- ×Rounding the back or collapsing the chest: Maintain a long spine and open chest by engaging your core and rotating your top shoulder back, stacking it over the bottom shoulder.
- ×Losing connection with the back foot: Actively press through the outer edge of your back foot to maintain stability and a full stretch throughout the pose, preventing the foot from lifting or rolling in.
Variations
The Eagle Yoga Pose
The Eagle Pose (Garudasana) is a balancing yoga posture that strengthens legs, ankles, and spine while deeply stretching hips, shoulders, and upper back.
Straight Angle Yoga Pose
Master the Straight Angle Yoga Pose to deeply stretch your hamstrings, calves, and spine.
Standing Seal Yoga Pose
Release tension in your shoulders and upper back with the Standing Seal yoga pose.
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Warrior II Yoga Pose
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Namaskarasana Yoga Pose
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Pavanamuktasana Yoga Pose
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Swaying Palm Tree Yoga Pose
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Worlds Greatest Stretch
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Toy Soldier Dynamic Stretch
The Toy Soldier is a dynamic stretch that improves hamstring and hip flexor flexibility while warming up your body for activity.
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