About Utthita Parsvakonasana
Utthita Parsvakonasana is one of my favorite poses. It improves your balance and strengthens your legs and the sides of your body, especially the side abdominal muscles on your top arm side. And when you hold the pose statically for up to a minute, it also encourages bone strengthening in your hips, spine, and bottom hand wrist. In addition to strengthening, this pose increases flexibility by stretching your inner thighs and the shoulder joint of your top arm. The variations described below make it accessible to almost everyone, as it can even be done on a chair.
Sharpens memory. Soothes the sympathetic nervous system. Prevents fatigue. Rests the heart, and normalizes blood pressure and the pulse rate. Relieves chronic headaches, migraines, and eye strain. Reduces stress in the facial muscles. Alleviates stress-related compression or a feeling of tightness in the throat and diaphragm. Improves blood circulation in the pelvic area, toning the pelvic organs. Regulates blood supply to the endocrine glands, activating the adrenal glands, and relaxing the thyroid gland. Cools the temperature of the skin. Strengthens the vertebral joints and stretches the ligaments of the spine.
- Start in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Jump your legs about 4 feet apart. Extend your arms into a T position, with your palms facing down; reach out through the fingertips as if your arms were being pulled in opposite directions.
- Turn your left foot out to 90 degrees, and turn your right foot slightly inward. Lift through your spine, keeping the sides of your torso equally long.
- Press your right outer foot and heel to the floor as you bend your left knee toward a 90-degree angle with your left thigh parallel to the floor. Adjust your stance to establish a strong foundation.
- Lean toward your left knee, hinging at the hips to bring your left arm own toward the floor.
- You may place your left fingertips to the ground or on a block. Move your left armpit close to the outer left knee so your arm and shin are parallel.
- Reach your right arm up over your right ear, palm facing the floor. Turn your chest toward your raised arm and press the right hip toward the floor to create a straight line from your right ankle to you
- Turn your head to look past your right thumb. Breathe freely in the pose. Stay for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Inhale reach up then bring your torso up and straighten the left leg. Switch sides.