Utthita Trikonasana

Trikonasana in this extended standing form is not described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika or Gheranda Samhita; it is part of the standing pose sequences built up in twentieth-century Indian yoga institutes, most notably associated with the Mysore lineage. The word trikona, triangle, is ancient in Sanskrit geometry and ritual, but its use as a standing asana name is a modern development.

• Strengthens the legs while stretching the hamstrings and inner groins
• Opens the chest and shoulders through the rotated torso
• Improves lateral flexibility of the spine and lengthens the waist
• Trains balance and steadiness across a wide stable base
• Stretches the side body from the back-leg ankle to the top-hand fingertips

1. Step the feet wide apart and turn the right foot out ninety degrees, left foot in slightly.
2. Extend the arms out to shoulder height, palms down.
3. Reach the right arm forward and hinge at the right hip, keeping both legs straight.
4. Lower the right hand to the shin, a block, or the floor outside the right foot.
5. Extend the left arm straight up, stacking the shoulders vertically.
6. Rotate the chest open toward the ceiling rather than letting it face the floor.
7. Keep both legs firm and the crown of the head reaching in line with the spine.
8. Hold for five to eight breaths, then rise on an inhale and repeat on the other side.

• Collapsing the torso toward the front leg: lengthen the spine first, then lower the hand only as far as that length allows.
• Overturning the back foot, which strains the knee: keep it at a slight inward angle rather than parallel.
• Looking up at the top hand when it strains the neck: keep the gaze forward or down instead.
• Bending the front knee: keep both legs straight and active throughout the pose.

• Easier: rest the lower hand on a block or the shin rather than the floor.
• Easier: practise with the back against a wall to check alignment of the hips and shoulders.
• Harder: bind the lower arm behind the back leg and clasp the hip crease.
• Harder: move into Parivrtta Trikonasana, the revolved version, for a deeper twist.

The wide triangular base of the legs and arms gives the pose its name and is often used to teach a felt sense of stability, the body forming a stable geometric structure while the spine lengthens laterally. The open chest and long exhalation encourage the ribcage to expand fully on the inhale, and teachers often describe the pose as balancing strength in the legs with expansiveness in the upper body.

Trikonasana is frequently included in yoga sequences studied for improvements in hamstring flexibility, hip mobility, and lower-back comfort, with generally positive but modest findings. There is no reliable evidence for claims that the pose detoxifies organs or cures digestive conditions, which are sometimes attributed to it in popular sources.