Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) 

What is Utthita Parsvakonasana?

Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) is a standing yoga posture that strengthens the legs, stretches the hips, groin, and sides of the body, and improves balance and stability. It helps open the chest and shoulders while promoting a deep sense of grounding and energy flow throughout the body.

In classical yoga, the Extended Side Angle Pose, or Utthita Parsvakonasana, is a standing side stretching pose. Your body is stretched and extended from the heels to the head in this energizing pose.

The Sanskrit words “utthita,” meaning extended, “parsva,” meaning side, “kona,” meaning angle, and “asana,” meaning posture, are the origin of the phrase Parsvakonasana.

Who can perform Utthita Parsvakonasana?

The extended side angle pose is suitable for a wide range of people, including

• Children
• Pregnant women
• Seniors
• people seeking to improve their balance and coordination,
• people seeking to alleviate lower-body pain and stiffness,
• people seeking to cure respiratory issues,
• women seeking to eliminate menstrual problems,
• people seeking to lose weight,
• people seeking to control their emotions
• people seeking to reduce stress.

Who should stay away from Utthita Parsvakonasana?

You should consult your doctor before performing the extended side angle position if you have any of the following conditions:

• Injury in the arms, neck, shoulders, hips, or legs.
• Chronic headache or migraine.
• Cervical spondylosis.
• Vertigo
• High or low blood pressure.

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose) video

How to do Utthita Parsvakonasana?

It is crucial to understand the form of Parsvakonasana to be able to take advantage of its advantages and prevent injuries.

This is a detailed description of Parsvakonasana:

• Start by standing erect in Mountain Pose.
• With your right foot, take a large stride toward it.
• Turn your right foot out slowly at a 90-degree angle. At a 45-degree angle, turn your left foot out in the same direction.
• Exhale and bend your right knee until it is parallel to the floor at a 90-degree angle. Lower your trunk.
• Breathe deeply here and hold the stance for a few seconds.
• Take a long breath out and stretch sideways while bending your torso over your right leg.
• Place your right hand on the inner or outside of your right foot after lowering it.
• Lift your left hand above your head, keeping it parallel to your ear.
• From the hand to the heel, you need to have a strong stretch.
• Slowly tilt your neck in the direction of the ceiling.
• For 20 to 30 seconds, hold this last position.
• Lower your left arm, put your thigh back, straighten your torso, and press down on your feet to release the stance.
• On the opposite side, repeat the expanded side angle position.

Which variations of Utthita Parsvakonasana are there?

• You can practice a variety of Parsvakonasana modifications based on your fitness and conditioning goals. Among the best variations of the extended side angle posture are:
• You can bind your hand behind your back rather than raising it. This opens your heart in a long, deep stretch and helps to stretch your ribcage upward.
• Placing your elbow on your thigh with your palm facing up is another useful version of the extended side angle stance.
• Place yourself against a wall in the side angle pose. Your back will be supported by this.
• Those with back pain might use a chair to perform the right-angle yoga pose.

What Advantages Does Utthita Parsvakonasana Offer?

Your physical and mental well-being will greatly benefit from parsvakonasana. The following are some strong reasons for incorporating this pose into your training routine:

• Because they are rarely used in our daily activities, the obliques, or side muscles, are largely inactive. One of the few yoga poses that really stretches your obliques is Utthita Parsvakonasana. This aids in strengthening and toning these muscles.
• The strengthening of your lower body is one of the most significant advantages of Parsvakonasana. It strengthens and activates the muscles surrounding your thighs, ankles, calves, and knees. Additionally, this lessens stiffness or soreness in certain places.
• Utthita Parsvakonasana enhances your stability, balance, and coordination through the use of your lower body muscles.
• People with respiratory issues benefit from Utthita Parsvakonasana. It increases the capacity of your lungs by providing them with a healthy stretch. This aids in the management and prevention of respiratory conditions, including COPD and asthma.
• The side angle pose stimulates your digestive organs by providing a wonderful stretch for your abdomen. By doing this, issues like bloat, constipation, and indigestion are avoided.
• Utthita Parsvakonasana aids in weight loss. This keeps problems connected with fat at bay and offers you a toned look.
• The fact that Parsvakonasana strengthens your chest muscles is among its most significant advantages. This promotes better heart health and helps avoid conditions like high blood pressure and heart attacks.
• Enhancing circulation is one of the main advantages of Parsvakonasana. This strengthens your barriers against disease.
• Another advantage of Utthita Parsvakonasana is that it enhances circulation, which in turn improves cognitive functioning. This lowers stress, comforts your mind, and guards against age-related illnesses, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
• Utthita Parsvakonasana is a fantastic addition to your at-home exercises because it requires little setup.

How can I safely perform Utthita Parsvakonasana?

To avoid injuries and perform Utthita Parsvakonasana safely, you have to keep the following in mind:

• Make sure your knee doesn’t go past your ankle. Rather, it should really line up with your heel.
• Since this is a deep stretching asana, train your body by completing Utthita Parsvakonasana preparatory poses. Utthita Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana 2, and Vrkshasana are some of the best asanas to prepare for Utthita Parsvakonasana.
• You need to balance your weight on both legs.
• Never begin performing this pose without first learning how to do it from an experienced yoga practitioner or by participating in online yoga courses. This is especially true for beginners trying yoga.

Conclusion

Maintaining good health throughout your life can be achieved by regularly performing the correct angle yoga pose. But the secret to receiving the benefits of Utthita Parsvakonasana is to remain persistent with your training and keep yourself challenged.

FAQs

References

• Admin. (2025, March 11). Master Utthita Parsvakonasana: 17 Benefits, Variations & Mistakes. Rishikul Yogshala Rishikesh. https://www.rishikulyogshalarishikesh.com/blog/utthita-parsvakonasana/
• Fit, C. (2022, June 27). Utthita Parsvakonasana – Extended Side Angle Pose: How to do & Benefits. blog.cult.fit. https://blog.cult.fit/articles/utthita-parsvakonasana-extended-side-angle-pose-how-to-do-benefits
• BipinJi. (2025, August 5). Utthita Parsvakonasana, Extended side angle pose | Gyan Yog breath. Gyan Yog Breath. https://gyanyogbreath.com/utthita-parsvakonasana-extended-side-angle-pose-alignment-benefits/
• Komal. (2025, January 9). Master Bound Side Angle Pose – Enhance flexibility & strength. Davjones. https://davjonesyoga.com/bound-side-angle-pose/
• YogaDownload. (n.d.). Extended Side Angle – pose guide. Copyright 2012. https://www.yogadownload.com/Poses/PoseDisplay.aspx?PoseID=14