Extended Side Angle Pose
What Is the Extended Side Angle Pose?
Extended Side Angle Pose is a compound exercise that primarily targets the hips and groin while also engaging the quadriceps, glutes, obliques and the muscles along the side of the torso. It is a beginner-level standing yoga pose in the forearm-on-thigh version shown here, and it gets noticeably harder as the lower hand moves toward the floor.
The pose combines two jobs at once. The front leg holds a deep, wide lunge, which builds endurance in the quadriceps and glutes, while the wide stance opens the inner thighs of both legs. At the same time, the top arm reaches overhead so the whole top side of the body, from the outer edge of the back foot through the hip, ribs and armpit to the fingertips, lengthens into one long diagonal line. That side-body stretch is what sets it apart from most other standing poses.
It is a staple of modern standing yoga practice and was popularized in the 20th century through the schools of B. K. S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois. In a class it usually sits among the other wide-stance standing poses, often flowing out of Warrior II Pose, which shares the same leg position, and alongside Triangle Pose and Reverse Warrior Pose.
Where the lower arm goes changes the pose more than anything else. Resting the forearm on the front thigh keeps the torso higher and makes it easier to keep the chest open, which is why it is the standard starting version. Bringing the hand to a block or to the floor outside the front foot asks for a deeper hip opening and a stronger side bend, and demands more from the front leg. Revolved Side Angle is a different pose altogether, a twist in which the opposite arm crosses over the front thigh.
The pose suits almost anyone who can comfortably hold a wide lunge, and it is especially useful for people who sit a lot and feel tight through the inner thighs and side body. If the front leg tires quickly or the groin feels strained, build up first with Warrior II Pose for leg endurance and the Side Lunge Stretch for the inner thighs, and use a shorter stance until the full width feels steady.
Muscles Worked
- Adductor Longus
- Primary
- Adductor Magnus
- Primary
- External Oblique
- High
- Rectus Femoris
- High
- Vastus Lateralis
- High
- Vastus Medialis
- High
- Gluteus Maximus
- Medium
- Gluteus Medius
- Medium
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Medium
Instructions
- Stand with your feet wide apart, about one leg length, and place your hands on your hips.
- Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and your left foot in slightly, lining up your right heel with the arch of your left foot.
- Bend your right knee until it is stacked over your right ankle, bringing the thigh toward parallel with the floor, and keep your left leg straight with the outer edge of the left foot pressed down.
- Keeping your torso long, tilt sideways from the hip over your right thigh.
- Rest your right forearm on top of your right thigh just above the knee, with the hand resting over the knee, and keep only light weight on it.
- Sweep your left arm up and overhead past your left ear, palm facing down, so your body forms one long line from the left heel to the left fingertips.
- Roll your left shoulder back so your chest faces forward rather than down, and keep your right knee pointing over your middle toes.
- Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight ahead, breathing slowly for 30 to 60 seconds.
- To come out, press through your right foot, lift your torso, straighten your right leg and return your hands to your hips, then repeat on the other side.
Common Mistakes
Front Knee Caving In
Letting the front knee drift toward the big toe twists the knee, so keep it tracking over the middle toes and stacked above the ankle.
Dumping Weight on the Forearm
Leaning the whole upper body onto the thigh takes the work out of the legs and side body, so rest the forearm there lightly and keep the torso lifting.
Chest Rolling Toward the Floor
Turning the chest down toward the mat shortens the top side of the body, so roll the top shoulder back and keep the chest facing forward.
Back Foot Lifting
Letting the outer edge of the back foot peel up makes the stance unstable, so press the whole back foot into the floor and keep the back leg straight.
Reaching the Top Arm Forward
Pointing the top arm toward the front of the room breaks the long line of the pose, so reach it overhead past the ear in line with the back leg.
Cranking the Neck Up
Forcing the gaze up at the top hand strains the neck, so keep the head in line with the spine and look ahead if turning up is uncomfortable.
Injuries
Extended Side Angle Pose is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. It uses only body weight and is held still, so most problems come from forcing range of motion rather than from load.
The front knee takes the most stress. If the hips are tight, the knee tends to drift inward past the big toe, which twists the joint under body weight. Keep the knee stacked over the ankle and pointing over the middle toes, and shorten the stance or raise the front thigh if that is not possible. The inner thigh of the back leg can also feel strained when the stance is too wide, and the lower back can feel compressed when the torso sags onto the forearm instead of staying long.
People with shoulder pain can keep the top hand on the hip instead of reaching overhead, and anyone with neck pain should keep the head neutral and look straight ahead rather than up at the top hand. To make the pose easier, shorten the stance, bend the front knee less, or practice Warrior II Pose first. To progress, move the lower hand to a block or to the floor outside the front foot once the chest stays open and the knee stays in line.
Stop if you feel sharp pain in the knee or groin, tingling or numbness in the raised arm, or dizziness. A stretching sensation along the inner thigh and side body is normal; pain at a joint is not.
- Primary Focus
- Hips & groin
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Yoga
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Extended Side Angle Pose
The Extended Side Angle Pose is also known as:
- Utthita Parsvakonasana
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Should my lower hand go on the floor or my forearm on my thigh?
Start with the forearm resting on the front thigh, as shown here. Move the hand to a block or the floor outside the front foot only when you can do it without the chest rolling toward the floor or the front knee caving in.
- Q: Is Revolved Side Angle Pose the same thing?
No. Revolved Side Angle is a twist in which the opposite arm crosses over the front thigh and the torso rotates toward the front leg, while Extended Side Angle Pose keeps the chest open to the side.
- Q: How is it different from Warrior II and Triangle Pose?
It uses the same bent front knee as Warrior II Pose but tips the torso over the front thigh to add a long side-body stretch. Triangle Pose keeps the front leg straight, which shifts the stretch toward the back of the front thigh.
- Q: How long should I hold Extended Side Angle Pose?
Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, or about 5 to 8 slow breaths, on each side. Come out of the pose sooner if the front knee starts to cave or the chest starts to drop.
- Q: Can Extended Side Angle Pose be done on a chair?
Yes. A chair version, seated with the legs in the same wide position, takes the balance and much of the leg work out of the pose, which helps people who cannot hold a wide stance. A study of 26 healthy young adults found the standing version activated the front and back thigh muscles more than the chair version, so the chair version is easier but less of a leg workout.