Revolved Triangle Pose with Right Arm Behind Left Foot

How to do Revolved Triangle Pose with Right Arm Behind Left Foot

1. 1Step your right foot back about three to four feet, angling the back toes out forty-five degrees with both heels rooted to the mat.
2. 2Square your hips toward the front edge of your mat and bring your left hand to your left hip crease.
3. 3Inhale to sweep your right arm straight up toward the ceiling, creating maximum length along the right side of your torso.
4. 4Exhale to hinge forward from your hips, reaching your right hand forward before placing it on the floor outside your left pinky toe.
5. 5Press firmly through your right hand to encourage your left hip back and lengthen your sternum forward away from your pelvis.
6. 6Rotate your chest toward the left and extend your left arm straight up toward the ceiling in line with your shoulders.
7. 7Turn your gaze softly up toward your left thumb while anchoring evenly through the outer edge of your back right foot.
8. 8To release, look down at your left foot, sweep your torso upright on an inhale, and step your feet together at the top of the mat.

Benefits

• Stretches the hamstrings, calf muscles, and iliotibial band of the front leg.
• Strengthens and stabilizes the ankles, quadriceps, and deep hip stabilizers.
• Stimulates spinal mobility by encouraging balanced thoracic rotation.
• Tones the abdominal wall and back extensor muscles through isometric engagement.
• Expands the chest and anterior shoulder girdle of the top arm.

Common mistakes and cues

• Collapsing the back heel

  Ground firmly through the outer rim of your back foot to protect your Achilles tendon and maintain balance.

• Shifting hips excessively

  Draw the front hip crease back and pin the inner thighs toward each other to keep the pelvis stable.

• Rounding the spine

  Prioritize lengthening your sternum away from your navel rather than forcing the hand to the ground.

• Dumping weight in bottom hand

  Use your core and leg strength to stay light in the bottom hand rather than leaning your entire body weight into the wrist.

Modifications and props

• Hand on a block

  Place a yoga block outside your front foot at any height to keep the spine long and open.

• Hand to the inside of foot

  Position your hand inside the front foot on the floor or a block to decrease the intensity of the twist.

• Hand on the hip

  Keep your top hand rested on your sacrum or hip to relieve shoulder strain and focus on torso rotation.

• Micro-bend in front knee

  Soften the front knee slightly to protect against hyperextension and ease severe hamstring tension.

Cautions

• Lower back injuries

  Avoid deep rotation if experiencing acute lumbar disc issues or sacroiliac joint instability.

• Neck sensitivity

  Keep your gaze neutral or facing down toward the floor if turning your head up causes cervical strain.

• Blood pressure fluctuations

  Move slowly into and out of the forward fold and twist to avoid dizziness or sudden lightheadedness.

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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