Triangle, Uttihita Trikonasana
- Start in Warrior Two. Shorten the stance so that your feet are about three feet apart.
- Straighten the bent leg, maintaining a gentle bend in the knee.
- Bend towards the right, bringing your right hand towards your right foot. The hand can rest on the ankle, on a block, or on the mat.
- Your left hand extends from your body straight up.
- With each inhale, lengthen, and then with the exhale, twist to shine your heart towards the ceiling. Imagine you are between two panes of glass—you want your body to fit nicely in that plane of space.
- You can look towards the hand that is stretched overhead, out in front of you, or towards the ground if it is more comfortable.
- Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.
- After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.
Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.
I love vinyasa yoga and I am obsessed with good alignment. This obsession doesn’t stem from a need for perfection, which would be very “un-yoga-like” of me, but from a passion for protecting the body from injury. Most bodies can safely practice yoga on a daily basis, but maintaining sound alignment is essential to your physical wellbeing. In this series, I will break down some common poses—explaining how to stay safe and fully enjoy each posture. Finally, remember to BREATHE consistently while practicing yoga to receive the full benefits of the practice … otherwise, you’re just stretching in Sanskrit. Today’s pose is: Downward Facing Dog, or Adho Mukha Svanasana.
- Hands are placed at should-length distance apart. Fingers are spread wide, and fingertips are gripping into the mat. Wrist creases are parallel to the top of the mat. These actions alleviate unnecessary weight, helping protect the wrists.
- Externally rotate the shoulders—this will mean that your elbow creases begin to face the ceiling.
- Feet should be hip-distance apart, or where your feet would naturally land standing (people have a tendency to interpret “feet hip-distance apart” as meaning feet on the edges of your mat—this is much farther than the distance of your hips. To measure, you should be able to place both of your fists between your feet).
- Keep a gentle bend in the knees. This helps the “sits” bones face up towards the ceiling.
- Toes spread wide and gripping into the mat. Drop the heels.
- Feel free to “walk your dog,” bending one leg and then the other. Then find stillness.
- Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.
Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.
