Triangle Pose is a beautiful posture that deeply stretches the entire side of the body, the shoulders, arms and legs; in this posture we explore the shapes the body can take as well as opening the ribcage, the shoulder joint and the chest.
Trikonasana is a good posture for relieving stiffness in the legs, hips and shoulders. Using blocks can easily modify this posture.
Type: Standing pose
Benefits: opens the chest, strengthens neck muscles, stretches and opens the shoulders, relieves symptoms of sciatica (see article Yoga & Sciatica), can relieve menopausal discomfort, aids digestions, opens hips and stretches the piriformis muscles; lubricates hip joint, strengthens the entire leg, lengthens the spine, stretches groin, side abdominals and arches of the feet
Drishti: toward the ceiling; modified, straight ahead
Technique: begin in Tadasana (Mountain); inhale, exhale and step your feet wide; inhale, exhale and bring your arms to the sides at shoulder height; turn your left foot inward about 45 degrees and turn your right foot outward to 90 degrees, engage the muscles of your legs and lean the upper body to the right, your body beginning to take shape; inhale, exhale and bend through the waist and the left side of the body to grasp your right ankle, inhale, exhale and revolve your torso towards the wall in front of you, look up towards your left hand if your neck is strong, keep a clean line from the tips of the fingers of the left hand to the fingertips of the right hand resting on the floor; remain here for a couple of breaths; when you are ready, engage the muscles of your inner legs for stability, engage the abdominals and gently pull yourself back to standing, release the arms, step the feet together in preparation for Standing Forward Bend, the most common counterpose to Trikonasana
Modifications: place a block(s) or a stack of books on the floor beneath your hand until you become more flexible; you may also bend your front knee to create more ease when you begin this pose; if you have any neck pain, do not look up, keep your gaze forward
Contraindications: low blood pressure, if you have any knee injury, soften your front knee and use blocks or a chair to ease the work of the knee joint
Counterpose: Downward Dog, Standing Forward Bend
