How to do Triangle Pose
- Stand with your feet about a leg's length apart.
- Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and your left foot in slightly. Line up the front heel with the arch of the back foot.
- Stretch your arms out at shoulder height.
- Reach forward over the right leg, then hinge from the hip and lower your right hand to your shin, a block or the floor.
- Stack your left shoulder above the right and reach your left arm up.
- Look up, forward or down, whatever is comfortable for your neck. Hold 5 breaths and switch sides.
Benefits
- Stretches hamstrings, hips and the side of the body
- Strengthens the legs and core
- Opens the chest and shoulders
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Collapsing the chest toward the floor
Fix: Bring the hand higher, onto a block or shin, and turn the chest open.
Locking the front knee
Fix: Keep a micro-bend in the front knee and lift the kneecap with your thigh muscles.
Leaning forward instead of sideways
Fix: Imagine you are between two panes of glass; keep hips and shoulders in one plane.
Short stance
Fix: Widen the feet to about a leg's length for stability.
Easier and harder variations
- Use a block under the bottom hand.
- Back against a wall to feel the alignment.
- Top hand on the hip if the shoulder is tight.
Safety
If you have low blood pressure or neck problems, look down rather than up. Stop if you feel strain in the knee. This guide is general information, not medical advice.