5. EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE POSE

UTTHITA PARSVAKONASANA

From Mountain pose (p20), step your feet slightly more than leg’s distance apart and turn your right foot out 90°, your left foot in 15°. Align your heels and root through your toes and outer edge of the left foot.

With your weight balanced evenly between both feet, inhale to raise your arms to the sides, shoulder height, parallel to the floor and palms facing down.

Exhale, bend your right knee over your ankle, keeping a micro-bend in your left leg as you take your right forearm to your thigh and your left hand to your left hip.

Tilt your tailbone towards your back heel and rotate your chest open. Then, on an inhale, sweep your left arm overhead and alongside your ear, palm facing down.

Ground through the outer edge of your back foot to lengthen your entire left side body, from your foot right through to your left fingertips. Gaze at the floor or, if comfortable for your neck, your upper hand.

Take five deep breaths into your belly, savouring the stretch. When you feel ready, exhale and return to standing. Pause for a moment before repeating on the other side.

Benefits

Strengthens the legs

Grounding

Supports deeper breathing

Aids balance

Variation

For a more grounding, centring pose, place your right hand on your lower belly. Focus on directing your in-breath towards the area beneath your hand; as you exhale, imagine your breath softly travelling down your legs and into the earth.