Bikram Triangle Pose (Right)

How to do Bikram Triangle Pose (Right)

1. 1Step your right foot out wide along the mat, landing at least four to four and a half feet apart, and extend your arms parallel to the floor with palms down.
2. 2Turn your right foot out ninety degrees to the right, pivot your left toes inward slightly, and square your hips forward.
3. 3Exhale and bend your right knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor, forming a direct ninety-degree angle over the right ankle.
4. 4Inhale to lengthen your spine, then on your exhale, move both arms simultaneously, reaching your right fingertips down between your right big and second toes.
5. 5Place your right elbow against the inner right knee, using light contact to prevent the knee from collapsing inward, without resting your weight on the floor.
6. 6Reach your left arm straight up toward the ceiling, stacking your shoulders and forming a straight vertical line from fingertip to fingertip.
7. 7Turn your head to look up at your left thumb, bringing your chin close to your left shoulder, and push your left hip down and forward.
8. 8Press firmly through the outer edge of your back left foot and maintain an active upward lift through the torso before rising on an inhale.

Benefits

• Strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and inner thighs through deep lunging.
• Improves rotational thoracic mobility and opens the pectoral muscles.
• Engages the deep core and oblique muscles to hold the torso lifted off the thigh.
• Stretches the hip flexors, groin, and achilles tendon of the back leg.
• Elevates heart rate and improves cardiovascular endurance under isometric tension.

Common mistakes and cues

• Collapsing torso weight

  Avoid dumping your body weight onto the bottom arm or resting on the front thigh; use your core to stay suspended.

• Knee overshooting ankle

  Ensure your front knee stacks directly over the ankle at ninety degrees rather than shooting past the toes.

• Over-rotating hips

  Keep your back hip pressing forward and down rather than letting it jut backward out of alignment.

• Dropping the top arm backward

  Maintain a vertical line of energy between both arms without letting the top hand drift behind your back.

Modifications and props

• Higher stance

  Shorten your stance and do not bend the front knee all the way to ninety degrees if you experience knee or groin strain.

• Block support

  Place a yoga block beneath the right hand just inside the front foot if reaching the floor pulls your torso out of alignment.

• Neutral neck gaze

  Look straight forward or down toward the right foot if rotating your neck creates cervical spine discomfort.

• Hand on hip

  Rest the left hand on your left hip to reduce shoulder strain while focusing on hip and core alignment.

Cautions

• Knee injuries

  Avoid bending past ninety degrees or allowing the knee to track inside the big toe to protect the meniscus and ligaments.

• Low blood pressure

  Transition slowly out of the deep lunge to prevent dizziness caused by sudden blood flow shifts.

• Severe lower back pain

  Keep the spine actively lengthened and avoid forcing the lateral flexion if you have active disc issues.

If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.

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