Hey :)

Hi everyone!
For yoga class, my teacher assigned us all a yoga pose which we are to research and create a blog for. So here it is! My blog dedicated to Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose).

The Name

Sanskrit Name: Utthita Parsvakonasana
"Utthita", in Sanskrit, is translated to "extended" while "parsva" means side, "kona" means "angle", and "asana" means "pose".

English Name: Extended-Side Angle Pose

Awareness

This happens to be one of my favorite asanas. It takes a lot of body control and awareness since you really have to engage your back leg and make sure it's straight in order for you to keep balance. When in this pose, I can feel my shoulders spreading out and my back becoming stretched. I tend to slouch during the day (guilty of pretty bad posture) so coming into alignment and stretching feels really good.

To Get In this Asana, or Pose

1) Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Mounds of the feet pressing into the ground
- Engage quadriceps and lift kneecaps
- Shoulders pushed back and down into your back
- Arms out at a 45 degree angle with palms facing out
2) Step back with either foot so that there is a 4-5' gap between your two legs
3) Back foot should be rotated in about 45 degrees while your front foot is pointed straight ahead
4) Raise your arms so that they are parallel with the ground and open your heart's center
- Palms face downward towards the floor
5) Bend your front knee so that it is over your front foot and your front thigh is parallel to the floor
- Thigh and calf form a right angle
- Back quadriceps is engaged
- The edge of the back foot presses into the ground
6) Reach forward with your front hand and place hand along the outside of your foot
- Press the knee and elbow together
7) Take your other arm and extend it over your head with the palm facing down
8) Keep head in alignment a shift your gaze at your extended hand
9) Take a few long breaths in this pose and then begin to release

To Get Out of this Pose Properly

1) Lift front hand from the floor (back hand may come down as you do this)
2) Bring torso back so that it becomes perpendicular to the floor rather than you leaning forward
3) Straighten front knee
4) You may now switch feet, return to Tadasana, or any other pose.

Modifications

While in this pose, you may go against a wall and use it to guide your posture. You may also use a yoga block by placing it along the outside of your foot and so instead of putting your hand right beside your foot, you place your hand on top of the block.

Benefits/Effects of Utthita Parsvakonasana

In addition to strengthening the spine, this pose also strengthens and stretches the groin, waist, chest, shoulders and legs. Helping to relieve hip and arthritic pains as well as acidity and flatulence are other benefits of this pose.
Note: Please do not perform this pose if you have a headache, suffer from high/low blood pressure, or have insomnia.