Day 16 Utthita Parsvakonasana 

Extended Side Angle Pose

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Utthita Parsvakonasana (oo-TEE-tah PARZH-vuh-ko-NAHS-uh-nuh)

is a standing yoga pose that utilizes all of the muscles in the body. Its name comes from four Sanskrit words:

"Utthita" — meaning "extended"

"Parsva" — meaning "side" or "flank"

"Kona" — meaning “angle"

"Asana" — meaning "pose"

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​There are several variations of the pose to accommodate various levels of flexibility. It's usually simply referred to as "Parsvakonasana," or "Side Angle Pose."

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To gain the benefits of Parsvakonasana, it’s important to practice it with correct alignment. Keep the following information in mind when practicing this pose:

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Work on getting the foot and leg placement first. Build the pose from the ground up

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Do not allow your torso to drop forward in the pose. This often happens if you’re straining too hard to reach your front fingertips to the floor. Instead of trying to touch the floor, work to keep your hips, chest, shoulders, legs, and head along the same line. Imagine that you’re practicing the pose between two waterfalls. If you drop your torso forward or lean too far back, you will get wet. Work to keep your body "dry."

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Keep the outer edge of your back foot pressing firmly into the mat. Try to ensure your back baby toe is on the mat.

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Keep your front knee aligned with your front heel. Do not allow the knee to drift inward — this can strain the knee joint. Instead, imagine it slightly moving out toward the baby toe.

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BENEFITS:

Parsvakonasana relieves stiffness in the shoulders and back. It provides a deep stretch to the groins and hamstrings, and it also improves stamina. This pose strengthens the legs, knees, and ankles, while also stretching and toning the abdominal muscles. It is known to be therapeutic for constipation, infertility, sciatica, menstrual discomfort, and low backache.

This pose requires and builds strength throughout the entire body, and is therefore best practiced closer to the beginning or the middle of a standing pose sequence. It helps to prepare the body for deeper leg and groin stretches, such as Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) and Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold (Upavistha Konasana).