Extended Left Side Angle Pose

How to do Extended Left Side Angle Pose

1. 1From a wide standing stance, turn your left foot out ninety degrees and angle your right foot slightly inward, aligning your front heel with your back arch.
2. 2Inhale your arms out wide parallel to the floor, then exhale and bend your left knee deeply until your thigh approaches parallel with the mat.
3. 3Hinge at your left hip crease and place your left forearm lightly on your left thigh, or bring your left hand to a block or the floor outside your left ankle.
4. 4Sweep your right arm up and over your right ear with your palm facing down, creating an unbroken diagonal line from your right heel to your right fingertips.
5. 5Root firmly into the outer edge of your right foot while keeping your left knee tracking directly over your second and third toes.
6. 6Revolve your left ribs forward and spin your right ribcage toward the sky to broaden across your chest.
7. 7Turn your gaze gently upward beneath your right arm, breathing steadily for five deep cycles.

Benefits

• Strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves while stabilizing the ankles.
• Stretches the groins, inner thighs, and hip flexors of the front leg.
• Lengthens the side waist, rib cage, and intercostal muscles on the extended side.
• Tones the core musculature, particularly the obliques, through active lateral stabilization.
• Expands the chest and shoulders, supporting deeper and more full lung capacity.

Common mistakes and cues

• Collapsing bottom shoulder

  Avoid dumping your upper body weight into your bottom arm by actively pressing the thigh or floor away to keep your neck long.

• Knee drifting inward

  Keep your left knee tracking straight over the center of your left foot rather than caving inward toward the big toe.

• Lifting the back heel

  Anchor firmly through the outer rim of your right foot to keep the back leg engaged and the foundation stable.

• Rounding the chest downward

  Rotate your torso open toward the ceiling rather than allowing your chest and top shoulder to collapse toward the floor.

Modifications and props

• Forearm on thigh

  Rest your left forearm lightly across your left thigh to maintain length in your spine without overreaching.

• Block under bottom hand

  Place a yoga block at your desired height on the outside of your left ankle to support chest rotation and proper alignment.

• Top hand on hip

  Rest your right hand on your right hip if you experience shoulder impingement, tightness, or fatigue.

• Shortened stance

  Step your feet closer together to decrease the demand on your hips and stabilize your balance.

Cautions

• Neck sensitivity

  Keep your gaze facing forward or down at the mat instead of looking up if you experience cervical spine discomfort.

• Knee pain

  Ensure the front knee does not extend past the ankle and lessen the bend depth if you feel pressure in the joint.

• Lower back strain

  Draw your lower belly gently in toward your spine to prevent hyperextending your lumbar region.

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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