Right Triangle Pose

How to do Right Triangle Pose

1. 1Stand tall at the top of your mat and step your left foot back about three to four feet, turning the left toes slightly inward and the right toes straight forward.
2. 2Align your front heel with the arch of your back foot and firm both legs without locking your knees.
3. 3Inhale and extend your arms parallel to the floor, reaching actively out through your fingertips.
4. 4Exhale and reach your right torso forward over the right thigh, hinging deeply from the right hip crease.
5. 5Lower your right hand down to your shin, ankle, or a block placed outside the right foot, keeping length through both sides of your waist.
6. 6Sweep your left arm straight up toward the sky, stacking your left shoulder directly over your right shoulder.
7. 7Turn your gaze gently up toward your top thumb, or keep it neutral if your neck feels strained.
8. 8Press firmly through the outer edge of your back foot and hold steadily for five conscious breaths.

Benefits

• Lengthens and releases tension in the hamstrings and calves.
• Stretches the groins, hips, and lateral side body.
• Strengthens the ankles, knees, and supporting leg musculature.
• Expands the chest and encourages broad breathing across the ribcage.
• Tones the core stabilizers and deep spinal muscles.

Common mistakes and cues

• Hyperextending the front knee

  Keep a micro-bend in your right knee to engage the quadriceps and protect the joint capsule.

• Collapsing the lower side waist

  Focus on extending both side ribs evenly rather than trying to force your hand to the floor.

• Dropping the chest forward

  Rotate your bottom ribs up toward the sky so your chest stays stacked in one plane over your legs.

• Dumping weight onto the bottom hand

  Lighten the touch on your shin or block, using your core to support the upper body.

Modifications and props

• Block at front shin

  Place a yoga block on its highest setting outside your right calf to keep your spine long and open.

• Hand to hip

  Rest your top hand on your left hip if reaching upward creates tension in your shoulder or neck.

• Wall support

  Lean your back against a wall to understand the lateral plane of alignment without worrying about balance.

• Shortened stance

  Step the back foot closer by a few inches if you experience pull in the inner groin or low back.

Cautions

• Neck issues

  Keep your gaze down at the floor or straight ahead rather than looking up toward the top hand.

• Low back vulnerability

  Bend the front knee slightly and avoid rounding your lumbar spine as you enter and exit the pose.

• Low blood pressure

  Transition slowly when rising out of the pose to avoid dizziness.

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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