Pause & Pose: Extended Side Angle Pose

If you sit at a desk all day, chances are that you've experienced stiffness in your shoulders and back. This pose, from Honest yogi Jessica James, is a great stretch for helping to relieve some of that tension. Keep your feet firmly planted in the ground as you reach for the sky!

Extended Side Angle Pose

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Level 1

Benefits: Extended side angle pose stretches your whole side body, while strengthening your legs, knees, and ankles. Bringing your elbow to the top of your thigh creates space so that you can balance your pelvis and maximize the length in your spine.

Honest Tip: To get the most out of this pose, externally rotate your front leg, and press the head of your back femur straight back. Check to make sure that your hips are level and not angling forward. In an effort to get length in the side body it's easy to let the pelvis tip forward. This ends up putting all of your body weight into one joint! So, work this pose with your elbow bent on your thigh, keep your hips level and lifted, and extend your arm once the work is established in your legs. Once your legs are engaged and aligned, reach through your fingertips while you ground the back edge of your back foot firmly into the ground. When you create support and space you will feel that the work stays in your legs instead of dumping into your joints. Let's resolve to have strong muscles and healthy joints!

Now go pause, pose, and find peace.