Pose Breakdown: Extended Side Angle

UTTHITA PARSVAKONASANA

Pronounced: oo-TEE-tah parsh-vah-cone-AHS-ah-nah

utthita = extended
parsva = side
kona = angle
asana = pose

How To Do EXTENDED SIDE

ANGLE Pose: Step- by- Step

From Warrior 2, with your right foot forward, place your right forearm onto your right thigh
Reach your left arm up and overhead with your bicep right over your left ear and your palm facing downward
You can choose to stay here or drop your right hand down to the ground to the inside of the front right foot
Extend from the outside of the back left foot all the way through the top left fingertips
Continue to rotate your chest upward and create length through both sides of the body
Gaze up toward your top hand and take 5-10 breaths

Benefits

Stretches hip flexors, glutes, inner thighs
Opens the chest and shoulders
Strengthens the core, hips, and legs

Variations

If the front hip feels discomfort when the bottom hand reaches down to the ground, keep the forearm placed on the right thigh or bring hand down to a block
If you notice that your front torso and chest are facing downward instead of forward when the bottom hand reaches down to the ground, keep the forearm placed on the right thigh or bring hand down to a block
If your top shoulder feels discomfort with the arm overhead, try reaching that top arm straight upward instead
If you want to activate the core more, reach both arms overhead, palms facing each other, as if you are squeezing a beachball over your head
If you want to feel more opening through the chest, you can opt for a half bind by reaching the top arm behind you with the hand reaching for the bottom front hip crease. You can also take a full bind by bringing your bottom arm underneath the front leg, reaching for the top hand that is now behind you.
Another fun variation to try is from a kneeling position. To get into this variation of Extended Side Angle, start in a kneeling position with both knees on the ground, step your right foot forward into a lunge position, then pick up your right foot and angle the right leg toward the right at 90 degrees, so that your right knee and toes are pointing to the right instead of directly in front of you, sink into the hips in the same way as you would in your standing variation, then “T” out your arms like Warrior 2. Drop your front arm down to your front thigh and reach your back arm up and overhead, just as you would in the standing variation. This version allows a bit more stretch to the inner thighs and increased ROM through the hips. It also offers a regressed way to practice this asana since this variation is closer to the ground and does not require as much strength to hold this shape.