Be certain of your physical abilities and limitations before attempting any yoga pose, and seek clearance from your physician if you are uncertain. Always respect your body and know your limits.

Yoga Extended Triangle Pose

Utthita Trikonasana

• Inhale, begin in Tadasana pose.
• Exhale, stepping left leg back one legs length, allowing foot to rotate outward about 45 degrees, right foot faces forward.
• Inhale, firming both legs, raising arms out to side, palms facing to side, bringing awareness to hips, which can be toward side, if hip flexibility allows, or facing more towards front of mat.
• Exhale, moving torso laterally to right, right hand reaches toward right foot to hold big toe, left arm reaches toward ceiling. Pause with hand or finger at floor, or point where stretch becomes appropriate, and do not attempt to reach floor, if form and alignment are sacrificed.
• Inhale, turning gaze toward upper hand to challenge balance.
• Hold pose 3 to 7 breaths or as long as comfortable.
• To release, reverse sequence.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

Modifications to Extended Triangle Pose/ Utthita Trikonasana: If yogi cannot reach floor, either use a block to extend arm, rest hand on lower shin. If balance is a challenge looking upward, look toward side or at floor. To challenge balance further after looking up, close eyes.

Congratulations on completing “Yoga Extended Triangle Pose, Utthita Trikonasana”.