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Utthita Trikonasana
Extended Triangle (Utthita = Extended, Tri = 3, Kona = angle)
Parivritta Trikonasana (Parivritta = revolved or “turned around”)
Revolved Triangle
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Utthita Trikonasana
- Inhaling jump or step open to the right, feet about 3’ apart, stretch the arms out wide at chest level
- Exhaling turn the right foot out and left foot in (the turning of the feet in the standing poses helps to align the back foot to prevent over pronation, collapsing of the foot inward, pay attention to lifting the arch and grounding the outer edge of your back foot).
- Bending over catch your right big toe with the first two fingers of your right hand. Straighten your right leg as much as you can– it is ok if your knee stays bent, just slowly work over time toward straightening it.
- Extend your left arm out from the shoulder joint, gaze up toward your left fingertips. Tuck your tailbone underneath you and keep your ribs closed in.
- Keep your back knee straight, pay attention to NOT bend forward, keeping your torso aligned over your right thigh. Also work to keep the right side of your waist as long as the left side by moving the hip and ribs away from each other on the right side of your body.
- Hold the pose for 5 breaths
- Come up on an inhale, turn your feet, exhale as you catch your left toe and repeat on the left.
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Parivritta Trikonasana
- Inhaling come up from Trikonasana, again turning your feet, right foot out to 90o left heel swivels outward, exhaling place your left hand on the floor by your instep, on your foot, or by your outstep.
- Reach your right arm upward (keep the hand above the shoulder) and twist at your navel (reconnecting with your uddiyana bandha) as you turn your gaze upward to the right thumb.
- To drop the left hip or not?? Some teach to keep your hips level as you focus on twisting at your navel, others teach to drop the back hip to protect the S.I. (Sacro-Iliac) joint. If you have any back instabilities, drop the back hip. Otherwise try each style on for size and see which fits you.
- Hold for 5 breaths.
- Inhale come up, turning your feet, exhale and descend to the left side, holding again for 5 breaths.
- Inhale come up, square off your feet, exhale to Samasthitih.
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These asanas reduce fat around the waist. They strengthen the back hips and legs, and help to re-align the skeletal system fixing postural deviations. With the revolved (or twisted) version digestion is improved, constipation relieved, breathing difficulties and other respiration problems are alleviated. Problems in the throat are prevented, and where existed improved. The Manipura Chakra (3rd) is affected by this pose. The nervous system is stimulated relieving nervous depression, and the spinal column strengthened.
