Extended Side Angle Pose

Utthita Parsvakonasana

A deep lateral lunge with a long top-side reach. Works the front leg hard while lengthening the underside waist, adductors and top shoulder.

DIFFICULTY
Beginner
EQUIPMENT
Mat · Yoga block
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Quads · Glutes · Obliques
ALSO WORKS
Adductors · Lats · Deltoids
HOW TO DO IT
  1. 01From a wide stance, turn the front foot out 90 degrees and the back foot in slightly.
  2. 02Bend the front knee toward 90 degrees, keeping the knee stacked over the ankle.
  3. 03Lower the front forearm to the thigh, or the hand to a block outside the front foot.
  4. 04Extend the top arm over the ear so there is one long line from the back heel to the top fingertips.
  5. 05Turn the chest up toward the ceiling and hold five breaths before switching sides.
COACHING CUES
  1. 01Press the front knee into the arm and the arm back into the knee.
  2. 02Back foot outer edge glued down.
  3. 03Reach the top hand past the head, not straight up.
COMMON MISTAKES
  1. 01Dumping bodyweight into the bottom hand, which collapses the underside waist and loses the leg work.
  2. 02Letting the front knee travel past the ankle, which shifts load off the glute and onto the knee.
  3. 03Rounding the chest toward the floor, so the pose becomes a side bend with no rotation.

Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.

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