Extended Side AngleSave PDF
Utthita Parsvakonasana
oot-tee-tah PARSH-vah-ko-NAH-sah-nah
Strengthens legs and ankles, stretches groins and shoulders
Stimulates abdominal organs
Improves stamina
How to perform Extended Side Angle
- Begin standing. Step your feet 3 ½ to 4 feet apart with an inhale. Bring feet parallel.
- Bring your arms to shoulder height, palms facing down. Turn your right foot 90 degrees to the right.
- Bend your right knee with an exhale, bringing the thigh parallel to the floor. Align knee over ankle.
- Bend to the right with an exhale, bringing your fingertips to the floor just outside of your right foot. Reach your left arm up with an inhale, then lower the arm alongside your ear, palm facing down. Gaze toward your top arm.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Rise with an inhale, then exhale and step your feet together. Change sides.
Alignment cues
- Anchor outer edge of foot to floor
- Align knee over ankle
- Center body weight evenly between feet
- Lightly rest fingertips on floor
- Bring back leg, torso and extended arm in one diagonal line
Modification: Gaze toward the floor. Rest your forearm on your thigh instead of reaching to the floor.
Avoid this pose if you have high or low blood pressure.
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Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the hip openers and standing categories. This asana targets glutes & hip flexors, obliques, quadriceps and shoulders, and also involves ankles and triceps muscles. Extended side angle stimulates abdominal organs; strengthens legs and ankles, stretches groins and shoulders and also improves stamina. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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Discover our best-selling Yoga Cards – professional study, class sequencing and practice guide for beginners and beyond.
Studying to be a yoga teacher? Learn the essential yoga poses the easy way with Yoga Stacks app!
New to yoga? Our Yoga for Beginners pack covers everything you need to know to get started with your practice.
Personal trainer? Try Train - our beautifully simple training platform you and your clients will love.
