How to Do Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana) in Yoga: Tips, Technique, Correct Form, Benefits and Common Mistakes

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose ) is a simple but powerful asana that helps you gain length, strength and flexibility in your body.

This asana can improve your balance and mental focus while opening up the chest, shoulders and hips.

This pose is classified in the intermediate yoga level.

You know you've reached the intermediate stage when your core is stronger; your arms and legs can hold a lot more stress, and you can do downward and upward facing dog without any difficulties.

The Extended Side Angle Pose is pretty popular in modern yoga and is also often used to complement certain poses, like the Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana II).

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How to Do the Extended Side Angle Pose in Yoga?

It is important to learn the form of Parsvakonasana to take advantage of this asana and avoid injuries.

The following is a step-by-step guide to doing Parsvakonasana correctly:

• To begin, do the Mountain Pose, and stand tall.
• Take a large step in that direction with your right foot. Slowly extend your right foot at a 90-degree angle. Turn your left foot out at a 45-degree angle in the same direction.
• Exhale, and bring your right knee parallel to the ground by bending it at a 90-degree angle.
• Bend yourself backwards and downwards.
• Hold the stance for a few seconds, and take a few deep breaths.
• Exhale deeply, and extend sideways by bending your torso over your right leg.
• Place your right hand on the inner or outside of your right foot, and lower it.
• Tilt your neck slowly upward toward the ceiling. Hold this pose for 20-30 seconds.
• To release the pose, press down with your feet; lower your left arm; bring back your thigh, and straighten your torso.
• Repeat on the other side.

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Tips and Techniques for Extended Side Angle Pose in Yoga

There are a few points to remember to avoid injuries and safely do the Utthita Parsvakonasana:

• If you're new to this pose, keep your neck in a neutral position; otherwise, your neck muscles will be overworked.
• Instead of putting all your weight on your legs and arms, lengthen your torso, and distribute your weight equally.
• If you have significant neck, back or shoulder pain, avoid doing this asana.
• If you have regular headaches, high or low blood pressure, migraine, sleeplessness, joint pain, cervical spondylitis or a heart condition, you should avoid the Extended Side Angle.

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Benefits of Doing Extended Side Angle Pose

The benefits of this pose are:

1) Stengthens your lower leg

The alignment of the legs is the main focus of this pose, and the posture of the foot, ankles, knee and hip strengthens the muscles throughout the leg. Deep stretching of the leg also aids in the overall strengthening of the lower body.

2) Flexibility

This posture promotes joint flexibility and strengthens the leg for more advanced poses by providing a deep stretch at the knee, hip and ankle. All balance poses performed while standing help in the strengthening and flexing of these joints.

3) Muscle Strength

Extended Side Angle Pose tones the muscles in the chest, arms, belly, hips and legs, giving the body an overall tone. It increases and improves stamina and strength.

4) Spine Flexibility

To practice most of the poses, spine flexibility is required.

The spine extends at both ends in the Extended Side Angle Pose, from the lower back to the neck. That stimulates the spine to flex and prepares the body for more difficult poses.

5) Reduces PMS discomfort

Women of all ages can benefit from practicing this posture on a daily basis to help them cope with PMS.

Massage to the lower belly, lower back and hips, combined with appropriate breathing, provides relief from PMS and other menopause-related symptoms.

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Common Mistakes

Some of the common mistakes are:

1) To keep from putting too much pressure on your knees, make sure that your bent knee does not extend farther forward than your ankle. Bending your legs a little less or widening your stance will help you achieve that.

2) If you have tight hips and your knees turn inwards, that may put stress on your knee joint. To avoid that, keep your toes and knees aligned throughout the move.

3) Keep your heels on the floor, with your back heel against a wall for extra support. That way, you'll have more stability to push through your front foot.

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Bottom Line

Yoga is an excellent form of exercise that targets the entire body's muscles, including the core and upper body.

Ultimately, by challenging your body with a variety of yoga postures, you can ensure that your whole being receives the cardiovascular benefits that are inherent in this exercise.

So if you're not practicing the extended side angle pose regularly, or you want to bolster your present efforts—or both—you might want to give the right angle yoga pose a try.