Triangle - Trikonasana - is a beautiful and challenging standing posture. It stretches and strengthens the legs - specifically the quads, hamstrings, and hips - strengthens the core, lengthens the spine and the sides of the waist, and opens the heart space. Keep reading to learn how to safely move in to this posture and how to modify it to fit your needs. Check out the video at the end for visual cues!
Difficulty Level: Beginner - Intermediate
Step one: Beginning in tadasana, facing the long edge of your yoga mat, take a wide step bringing your feet about a leg length apart or a little wider. Check to make sure the baby toe edge of the feet are parallel with the short edges of the mat.
Step two: With an exhale, turn the right toes out 90 degrees. Make sure that you are turning the leg from the top of the thigh so that the right knee is pointing the same direction as the toes. If it is comfortable in your body, you may try turning the left toes in slightly.
Step three: With an inhale, bring the arms up to shoulder height. Extend through the finger tips so the arms stay long and strong!
Step four: With an exhale, side bend from the right hip crease, keeping both legs straight if possible. As you side bend, reach forward through the right arm, finding the length through the spine and the side body.
Step five: Bring the right arm down either to the block behind the right calf, or in front of the right shin (see video for details), stretching the left arm straight up.
Step six: Breathe and Stretch
Continue lengthening the spine by reaching through the crown of the head.
Continue grounding through the feet and legs.
Lift the left shoulder up and back, lifting the heart space so the chest opens.
Try staying here for 5 deep breaths.
Step seven: To come out, press into both feet, firming into the legs, lifting the upper body back to standing. Then release the arms, turn the right toes to face the same direction as the left, and heel toe the feet in. Give those legs a little shake out and move to the other side!
Note for beginners: To help with stability in this pose, try it with the baby to edge of your left foot pressed into a wall. Also, if the block is too low for you to reach when on it's highest height, you can use a chair instead!