Revolved Side Angle Pose with Rotation to Right Leg

How to do Revolved Side Angle Pose with Rotation to Right Leg

1. 1From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands and bend your right knee to ninety degrees over your ankle.
2. 2Engage your back leg firmly, lifting the back knee and pressing through the ball of your left foot to establish a steady lunge.
3. 3Bring your palms together at heart center in prayer and lengthen your torso forward over your right thigh.
4. 4Exhale and rotate your torso to the right, hooking your left upper arm or elbow securely across the outside of your right thigh.
5. 5Press your palms firmly together to leverage the rotation, broadening across your collarbones and stacking your right elbow over your left.
6. 6Optionally, plant your left palm on the mat or a block outside your right foot and extend your right arm diagonally forward past your ear.
7. 7Turn your gaze softly toward the ceiling while keeping your back leg active and your right hip hugging back toward the midline.
8. 8Hold for five smooth breaths, then untwist on an inhale and step back to Downward-Facing Dog to repeat on the other side.

Benefits

• Strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes in both legs.
• Increases rotational flexibility throughout the thoracic spine and rib cage.
• Stretches the calves, Achilles tendons, and hip flexors of the back leg.
• Challenges and improves core stability and balance.
• Opens the chest and shoulders when practicing the extended arm variation.

Common mistakes and cues

• Collapsing onto the front thigh

  Maintain active core engagement and lift through your torso rather than resting your rib cage heavily on your front leg.

• Sagging the back knee

  Keep the back quadricep strongly engaged and lift the left thigh bone toward the sky to stabilize your pelvis.

• Letting the right hip swing out

  Hug your right outer hip back and inward toward the midline to keep the pelvis stable and protect the sacroiliac joint.

• Cranking from the neck

  Initiate the rotation from your middle and upper back rather than forcing your gaze and straining the cervical spine.

Modifications and props

• Back knee lowered

  Lower your back knee to the mat (with a blanket beneath for cushion) to reduce balance demands while focusing on the twist.

• Block under bottom hand

  Place a yoga block on the outside of your front foot to support your bottom hand if reaching the floor restricts your breath.

• Hands in prayer

  Keep your hands pressed together at heart center instead of extending the arms to maintain comfortable leverage.

• Heel against a wall

  Press your back heel firmly into a wall behind you to provide extra stability and anchor your back leg.

Cautions

• Sacroiliac joint pain

  Avoid forcing the twist if you have SI joint irritation, keeping the hips relatively squared rather than over-torqued.

• Lumbar spine sensitivity

  Prioritize axial length before rotating so the twist stays centered in the thoracic spine rather than pinching the lower back.

• High blood pressure

  Keep your gaze directed sideways or down rather than upward, and ensure smooth, continuous breathing throughout the hold.

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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