CHENNAI: Parivratta Trikonasan: (Reversed or flipped Triangle pose). The difficulty level of this one is high. I like this pose because it engages my attention and makes me strive for that perfection.
Steps: 1. First stand in Tadasan (upright mountain pose) now jump with your feet about 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. You may simply widen your feet to the required stance. Turn your right foot out clockwise to the right to 90 degrees and left foot clockwise to 30 degrees as shown. Your right kneecap should face right but your pelvis and chest must face forward.
2. Now inhale and raise your arms to the shoulder level, palms facing down. Look at your right hand as you exhale.
3. Using the energy of the next few inhalations stretch your upper body and torso laterally to the right. Do not bend the knees.
4. Next inhale and as you exhale swing your left arm towards the right leg (cross the left arm over the front of the body to the right side), twist from your waist and place the left hand on your right shin, ankle or on the floor behind you. At this point you are looking backwards while your pelvis is still facing the front. As your left arm and shoulder are fixed to the right leg allow your right arm to move up towards the ceiling. The endeavor is to bring the right upper arm as close to the ear as possible.
5. Finally look up at your right fingers as shown. The chest is open. Continue opening the chest and rib cage by moving the right shoulder back. Complete a few breathing cycles all the while opening the chest and moving the right shoulder back. Your shoulders should be parallel to the wall behind you. This fine-tuning will give a nice stretch to the right side of your waist and torso and a contraction to the left side because of the twist. Keep your legs energized and leg muscles taut to hold up the pose. Maintain the pose for a few breathing cycles.
6. Exhale as you release the pose and come up with an inhalation. When coming out of the pose bend your right knee. This prevents injury to the knee and back. Switch the feet and repeat on the other side substituting left for right. Realign your feet parallel to each other and step or jump back to the center.
Benefits: These two yogasans tone the waist and hip. The lower back, ankles and calves are strengthened. They help cure weakness in the legs by equalizing strength in both legs. They are also good for your sides, neck and chest.
(The writer is a yoga trainer at Sri Aurobindo Society, Bengaluru)