Getting More Out of Triangle Pose

Triangle is one of my favorite poses. When I'm feeling like I need a quick stretch it's my go to pose. It's also one of the poses that I see done wrong the most in class. Some where along our yoga journey, we come to the conclusion that we need to touch our toes or the floor in a pose for it to be good. We let our egos get the best of us. The problem with this, is you're compromising the structure of the pose and losing out on the benefits.

Every body is going to be a bit different in Triangle pose, but some of the basic principals are the same. Check out this link to see how to properly get into the pose. Once you're in the pose, there are a few things you'll want to check.

Are your hips open or tipping toward the floor? When we're in a hurry to get our hand to our shin or to the floor, we lose some valuable stretch in our hip and side body. When we're tight in that area and we reach for the floor, our hip will turn down (as seen in the picture to the left). You may feel triumphant that your touching the floor, but you're losing some valuable stretch in your hips and torso. Experiment with this and see any difference you notice.

Your first priority is to open up your hip completely (even if you're practically standing up) and then find an appropriate place for your hand. Make sure not to place it on your knee. Another thing to be aware of is the arm that is up in the air. It's easy to let it drop back. Keep it straight up and engage it. The more you reach towards the ceiling, the more stretch you get.

Make sure you have an appropriate stance. If your feet are spaced too far apart you won't feel stable in the pose and you can easily over stretch. You want to space them enough to get a good stretch without straining yourself. The heel of your front foot should line up with the middle of the arch of your back foot.

Figure out if you need to work on strength or stretch. This will vary from side to side. We tend to have a strong side and a weak side. For the side that is weak, don't put any weight on your hand. Instead of placing it on your shin or thigh, place it to the inside of your thigh with no weight on it. Make sure you don't collapse in the pose. Hold it for as long as you can breathing your yoga breath the entire time. For stretch do your regular pose and focus on alignment.

Find something new in the pose each time you go into it. Nothing is worse for your yoga practice than doing it without thought. Every time you go into a yoga pose think and feel every movement. What can you tweak to get a better stretch? Each time you do a pose it's a new thing to experience. Our bodies are different every day. Be curious and explore that.

Remember the little things. If you have a weak neck, turning to look up may be too much. Gaze down at the floor and work towards looking up. Lift up the arches of your feet. If you're hyper-flexible in your knees, do a little micro bend to protect them. Feel expansive in the pose, like energy is shooting out of your fingers and toes. To work on balance, close your eyes. Engage your legs, they're the base of your pose. There's a lot to each pose, but eventually it will all come naturally. You'll create a little pose checklist in your brain.

Don't be afraid to modify. I think yogi's who modify have the best practice. They put aside their ego and do what is best for their body. The picture to the left has a great modification. Using the block allows you to focus on alignment and is great if you have hyper-extended knees as it takes some of the pressure off of your legs.

Triangle is an open and expansive pose. There's a saying that if you're doing a proper triangle you could fit between two panes of glass. Triangle is like any other pose, you have to do it one step at a time. Pay attention to the differences with each side of your body and focus on your breath. It's a beautiful pose with lots of benefits, enjoy!