Utthita Trikonasana | Extended Triangle Pose

Extended Triangle Pose | Utthita Trikonasana

From Sanskrit to English

Sanskrit pronunciation: Utthita Trikonasana (oo-TEE-tah trik-cone-AHS-anna)

Meaning: extended; tri = three; kona = angle → trikona = three angles, triangle

Utthita Trikonasana is known in English as Extended Triangle Pose or Three Angle Pose as this is the shape our bodies come to form in this asana (pose).

“Structurally, a triangle is thought to be strong and stable, able to support huge amounts of weight and withstand great pressures. Representationally, the triangle is masculine in essence, symbolising power, divinity, fire, the heart, mountains, prosperity, harmony and royalty. The upturned triangle is feminine, lunar, representing the great mother, water, and grace. It’s clear when observing the simple shape of the triangle, how the three lines imply a sense of resolution and finality, absolution and perfection.” – Emma Newlyn

Benefits of Utthita Trikonasana

+ Stretches the legs, hips, spine, shoulders, chest and arms

+ Strengthens the legs, back, core and shoulders

+ Stimulates the abdominal organs

+ Improves digestion, balance and concentration

+ Relieves back ache, neck pain, sciatica and menopause symptoms

+ Therapeutic for flat feet, anxiety, infertility and osteoporosis

Yoga for every BODY

Depending on the school of yoga, the position of the torso and hand placement vary slightly in Utthita Trikonasana. The instructions given below are for a standard Utthita Trikonasana according to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. The purpose of this pose is to open the body and activate its energy and vitality centres, thus if you feel that your body is closing you may want to go through the various modifications provided below!

Standard Utthita Trikonasana

1. To find your ideal stance: open your feet parallel to one another, align your heels, extend your arms out, and then adjust the distance between your feet so that your ankles are directly beneath your wrists. Release the arms.

2. Turn your right foot so that it’s parallel to the long edge of your mat. Make sure your left foot is parallel to the shorter edge of your mat. If you were to draw a line from your front heel to your back foot, it would fall right in the middle of the inner arch of your back foot. Press firmly through your feet to engage and extend your legs.

3. Activate your mula bandha and uddiyana bandha, lengthen through the sides of your waist and draw your lower belly in. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach your hands out to the sides, shoulders away from the ears, palms facing down.

4. Equally lengthening the sides of your body, shift your hips slightly towards the left and reach out towards the right, directly over the plane of your right leg. Then bend at the hip joint to bring your right arm down and lock your big toe with your peace fingers.

5. Rotate your ribs towards the sky and stretch your left arm up so that your left hand is in line with your shoulders, right arm and hand.

6. Lengthen through the sides of your neck, so that your neck is in line with your spine. If possible, turn your gaze towards your left hand.

7. Repeat all steps on the left side.

Modification: Using a wall

The wall helps understand the expected alignment in the hips, back, and shoulders. Before bending at the hip joint and sending the front hand to the front foot,we want to equally lengthen the sides of the body, sway the hips away from the front leg, and reach towards the opposite sidewithout closing our hips or shoulders (see picture A). If extending the arms as expected in Utthita Trikonasana affects the alignment of your hips and shoulders, keep your front hand on your thigh (see picture B and C).

1. Stand with your hips, back, and shoulder pressed against the wall.

2. Open your legs at your ideal stance (see instructions for standard Utthita Trikonasana) and place your hands on your hips.

3. Turn out what will become your front foot so that it’s parallel to the longer side of your mat. Make sure your back foot is parallel to the shorter edge of your mat and that your back heel touches the wall. Align your feet in such a way that if you were to draw a line from your front heel to your back foot, it would fall right in the middle of the inner arch of your back foot. Press firmly through your feet to engage and extend your legs.

4. Keeping your hips, back, and shoulders against the wall, activate your mula bandha and uddiyana bandha, lengthen through the sides of your waist and draw your lower belly in.

5. Shift your hips away from your front leg and reach out with your front arm, palm facing down. Look at your front hand (see picture A).

6. Place your front hand over your front thigh and look down at your front foot (see picture B).

7. With the back of your head resting against the wall, gently turn your gaze towards the sky (see picture C).

Modification: Supporting the upper body

Using a strap helps maintain a correct alignment of the shoulders and the spine, allowing a nice opening in the chest.

1. Stand on your mat in Tadasana. Place a strap under your shoulder blades, bring the strap ends evenly to the front, cross them to the front, over your shoulders, and cross them again behind you. Grab the strap ends with each hand.

2. Follow steps 1 and 2 of standard Utthita Trikonasana for the ideal stance between your legs and correct alignment of your feet. Press firmly into the ground to engage and extend your legs.

3. Activate your mula bandha and uddiyana bandha, lengthen through the sides of your waist and draw your lower belly in. Keep your arms extended and gently pull the strap ends downward.

4. Equally lengthening the sides of your body, shift your hips slightly away from your front leg.

5. Lengthen the sides of your neck so that it is in line with your spine and look forward.

Modification: Hand on hip and a block

Keeping your back arm on your hip while pressing the fingertips or flat palm of your front hand into the block not only prevents the shoulders and chest from closing, but also facilitates the rotation of the ribs towards the sky.

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 of standard Utthita Trikonasana for the ideal stance between your legs and correct alignment of your feet.

2. Place a block on its higher side, right at the outside of your front foot and place your hands on your hips.

3. Press firmly through your feet to engage and extend your legs. Activate your mula bandha and uddiyana bandha, lengthen through the sides of your waist, and draw your lower belly in.

4. Equally lengthening the sides of your body, shift your hips slightly away from your front leg, and reach out towards the opposite side with your front arm, directly over the plane of your front leg.

5. Bend at the hip joint to bring your front arm down and press your fingertips onto the block (see picture E) or hold onto the block with a flat palm (see picture F).

6. Rotate your ribs towards the sky, lengthen the sides of your neck and look towards the sky.

Modification: Using a strap

Looping a strap around your hip crease helps maintain a correct alignment of the hips to better perform the action of bending at the hip joint.

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 of standard Utthita Trikonasana for the ideal stance between your legs and correct alignment of your feet.

2. Place a strap underneath the sole of your back foot and loop it tight at the level of your front hip crease.

3. Press firmly through your feet to engage and extend your legs.

4. Activate your mula bandha and uddiyana bandha, lengthen through the sides of your waist, and draw your lower belly in. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach your hands out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms facing down.

5. Equally lengthening the sides of your body, shift your hips slightly away from your front leg and reach out towards the opposite side, directly over the plane of your front leg.

6. Keeping your back arm parallel to the ground, bend at the hip joint to bring your front arm down, placing your front hand onto your shin.

7. Send your gaze to the opposite hand.

Modification: Supporting the arm

The purpose of using a chair is to make Utthita Trikonasana accessible for people who are almost there, yet risk closing their body or compressing their neck if they attempt to grab their big toe and look up towards the sky.

1. Place a chair with its seat facing you and a blanket on top of it for further height and support.

2. Follow the instructions for standard Utthita Trikonasana, but place your front hand on the chair seat, maintaining your opposite arm in line with your shoulders, and look forwards.

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