Revolved Triangle

 Revolved Triangle / Parivrtta Trikonasana

(par-ee-vrit-tah trik-cone-AHS-anna) 

parivrtta = to turn around, revolve

trikona = three angle or triangle

 

1.From a standing mountain position, jump your feet approximately as wide as your wrists (when your arms are extended out). Raise your arms up so that they are parallel with the floor and keep your palms facing down and continue to lengthen and extending your arms out. Keep your knee caps pulled up, spine straight and belly button pulled back to the spine.

 

2.Pivot the right foot so that it is straight to the side wall approx 90 degree angle. Keeping the right heel inline with the back left inside arch. Note: you can also use the edge of your yoga mat to maintain alignment.

3.While extending your arms out as much as possible, on the exhale, “spiral” your chest in the opposite direction so that your left hand now faces forward, and your right hand back.

 

4.Continue to lengthen out and spiral while reaching your left front hand to the outside of your right shin, hinge at the hips as in triangle, and lift your right hand up to the sky. Maintain your shoulders stacked upon each other in a straight line, and keep the chest rotated up.

Variation: Use a yoga block on the highest setting placed on the floor parallel to the outside edge of your front foot. Variation: To increase difficulty, without compromising your alignment and form, reach the left hand to the floor, you’re your left palm facing down flat on the floor.

Benefits

-Stretches and opens the spine and chest

-Stimulates the organs

-Tones and stretches the legs

-Helps to improve balance.

Cautions

-Headaches

-High blood pressure

-Spine injury

-Pregnancy

Beginner Tips

Keep shoulder blades lifted and lengthened out being careful to not hunch or collapse the shoulder in the air. Intermediate pose, weakness in abductors will make rotation difficult causing the rear end to stick out and pelvis to tilt causing an incorrect rotation axis.

As in triangle, the depth of the front hand position is secondary to the lifting up and lengthening out action of the torso.