Revolved Triangle Pose, an advanced variation of Triangle Pose, is a fun way to add a bit of variety to your standing series and an excellent challenge as your practice progresses.
Benefits
Like Triangle Pose, Revolved Triangle Pose stretches and strengthens the legs and hips. Since Revolved Triangle Pose is a twist, it wrings out the internal organs, stimulates digestion, and detoxes the body. It challenges your balance and opens the chest.
Come on baby, let’s do the twist!
Step by Step
- From Tadasana, take a big step back. Point the front toes (right foot) directly forward, turn your back toes (left foot) in ever so slightly so they point diagonally toward the front outer corner of your mat.
- Align your heels — if you drew a line from the front heel, it would connect with your back heel. Make sure your front kneecap tracks in line with your second toe to keep it safe and find proper alignment.
- Extend your arms parallel to the mat and actively reach in equal and opposite directions.
- Square your hips with the front corners of your mat. To do this, send your left hip forward and tuck your right hip back.
- Continue to twist your torso to the right as your left arm works its way forward, right arm back. Reach your left hand down towards your right ankle and rest it on a block on the inside of that right ankle. If you’re feeling open, reach for the mat rather than a block.
- Reach high into the sky with your right hand, and if available, turn the gaze to the heavens.
Tips, Tricks, and Restrictions
- Since it’s a closed twist, pregnant yogis should steer clear until bubba arrives.
- Likewise, anyone with a history of chronic back pain or a recent injury should avoid this pose.
- If you have low blood pressure, descend towards the mat slowly and take care when exiting to move slowly and controlled.
- If this is a new pose to your practice, adjust your stance to make it more accessible. Try taking a smaller step or taking your back foot toward the outer edge of the mat to make it easier to square the hips.
- Sometimes, the final gaze toward the sky creates a bit too much tension in the neck. If that’s the case, simply look down at your front foot.
- Microbend the front knee if you start to hyperextend.
- Since it is not only a strengthening pose, but a balancing one as well, find one point to focus your gaze on to minimize the wobbles.
- Ground down firmly with the back heel to distribute your weight evenly between the two feet.
- Warm up for this pose with a few heat building Sun Salutations and any of the following: Warrior I, Warrior II, Pyramid, Uttanasana, Standing Wide Leg Forward Fold, or Bound Angle.
- This is a fantastic pose to warm up and lead into Revolved Half Moon, or include as part of a detoxifying twist focused practice. You can also use it as a counter pose to traditional Triangle.
- Have fun, and if you fall out, get back in!
We love revolved variations of traditional poses like this one. What’s your favorite detoxifying revolved pose?
