Trikonasana review

OK, so having spent two weeks thinking about this pose and thinking about it while I’m in it, it remains one of my favorite poses.  It used to be a favorite because with my weirdly loose hips, I felt like a yoga ninja being able to go so deep into the post.  Now, however, I realize that pushing my self so hard into the pose is NOT a good idea and I’m focusing much more on lifting the torso and rotating my chest up.  This creates a great stretch in the top of the hip and along the side.  Love love it and I always miss it when it’s not part of a class.  Guess that’s another good reason for developing and committing to a home practice .

So — what about you?  Anyone else play along?

Asana Project — Utthita Trikonasana

Brenda P at Grounding Thru The Sit Bones had an awesome post about picking an asana (yoga pose) and sticking with it for a week to 10 days and just seeing how it goes.

I tried something like this a few years ago, but was waaay too ambitious (a pose/post per day–I lasted about four days), so I’ve scaled it back. I’m going to focus on a pose every week to ten days. Do it for a few days, report on my impressions and then do several modifications and report on those. I teach with an Iynegar-influence, so I’m big on finding a version of a pose–often using props–that everyone can do. But, I’ve never really tested my versions beyond just the demonstration: do they really offer the same benefits? do they open something else in addition? Are there better modifications that I’m not considering? (Brenda on GTTSB)

I think it’s a great idea and something I’d like to do to kick-start my training program and the journaling process. (Hopefully Brenda and GTTSB won’t mind me jumping on their bandwagon!)

First asana: Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

Note: Do NOT be scared of picture in the above link.  Yoga Journal’s pictures are of freaky-perfect yogis and trust me, NO ONE ever looks like this.  Think Vogue or Marie Claire for women’s beauty standards and you have YJ for yoga poses.

GTTSB has some great older posts on this pose and You Tube (of course!) has some great videos on this pose.  Check out the one for Beginners if you’re newer to yoga (within first 10 classes), or there’s one for more advanced practitioners. (For really advanced, the hand goes on the floor – see the Yoga Journal link for freaky-advanced Trikonasana pose.)

So — here we go!  I’ll be reporting back soon and hope that you’ll participate with me!