2100-Asanas_-The-Complete-Yoga-Poses-Daniel-Lacerda

TRIANGLE POSE
Extended Triangle Pose
Utthita Trikonasana
(UT-ti-tuh tri-ko-NAHS-uh-nuh)
Pose Type: standing, forward bend, side bend
Drishti Point: Angusthamadhye or Angustha Ma Dyai (thumbs)
How to Perform the Pose:
1. Begin by standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Engage your mula bandha, uddhiyana bandha,
and ujjayi breathing.
2. Inhale and step your feet about elbow distance apart with toes facing forward and feet parallel to
each other. Expand your chest and hold your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the floor.
3. Keep your legs strong and straight by engaging your quadriceps and pulling the kneecaps up. Turn
your left foot 90 degrees to the left. Turn your right foot as close to 45 degrees to the left as
possible.
4. On your next exhale, reach over to the left as far as you can with good form and drop your left
hand toward the left shin (or left foot or to the floor either on the inside or the outside of the left
foot).
5. Reach your right arm up to the sky and look at your right thumb (the drishti point). Make sure that
your chest is not collapsing down toward the floor by lengthening both arms, grabbing onto the big
toe of your left foot with pointer finger and middle finger and thumb locked on top, and leaning
back far enough so that your shoulders are stacked one on top of the other.
6. Hold the pose for at least 30, and up to 90, seconds in order to receive the full benefits of the
stretch. Exhale as you release the pose. Inhale as you press strongly into both feet to come up.
7. Exhale, come back to Mountain Pose (Tadasana) and repeat on the other side.
Modification:
1. front view
2. back view
utittha = extended
tri = three
kona = angle