Extended Side Angle Pose: Utthita Parsvakonasana
Utthita parsvakonasana (oo-TEE-tah PARZ-vuh-ko-NAHS-uh-nuh) is a standing pose that stretches the legs, knees, hips, and ankles while increasing endurance and stamina.
SANSKRIT
- Utthita: extended
- Parsva: side
- Kona: angle
- Asana: pose
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
- Strengthens your thighs, hips, knees, and ankles.
- Stretches your groin, back, spine, waist, ankles, and shoulders.
ENERGETIC BENEFITS
- Increases endurance and stamina.
PREP POSES
- Downward facing dog | Adho mukha svanasana
- Warrior II | Virabhadrasana II
- Low lunge | Anjaneyasana
SEQUENTIAL POSES
- Triangle pose | Trikonasana
- Half moon pose | Ardha chandrasana
- Bound extended side angle | Baddha parsvakonasana
COUNTER POSES
- Pyramid pose | Parsvottanasana
- Standing forward fold | Uttanasana
- Reverse warrior | Viparita virabhadrasana
ADJUSTMENTS/MODIFICATIONS
- Rest your forearm on the top of your front thigh. Draw your shoulders away from your ears and stay engaged in the sides of the torso to prevent collapsing toward the ground.
- Place a block under your bottom hand to bring the ground closer to you.
- Keep your gaze forward or down to the floor to invite more space in the neck.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Begin in warrior II pose with your right foot forward.
- Reach your right arm toward the top of your mat, extending through the sides of your torso. When you reach as far as you can, lower your right hand down and left hand toward the ceiling, both palms facing the left side of your mat.
- Draw both shoulders away from your ears. Square your shoulders to the left side of your mat.
- Hold for 3-5 breaths, then return to warrior II and release. Repeat on the other side.
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Anjaneyasana: Monkey Lunge Pose
Anjaneyasana (AHN-jah-nay-AHS-uh-nuh), also known as low lunge or monkey lunge, stretches the hips, gluteus muscles, and quadriceps while improving balance, concentration, and core awareness.
Philosophy and Origin:
The term anjaneya is a matronymic reference to the monkey god Hanuman using his mother’s name, Anjani. Lord Hanuman is a central part of Hindu devotional worship, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The pose resembles a young, divine child (anjaneya), reaching towards the sky and the warmth of the sun, captivated by a glowing fruit in the sky as depicted in the traditional epic.
Sanskrit:
- Anjaneya: Lord Hanumān, the divine entity of spiritual significance
- Asana: pose
