Move-It Monday~Yoga Pose: Side Angle Pose (Parsvakonasana)

Difficulty level: Easy

Benefits:

    • Strengthens feet, ankles, legs, and spine
    • Opens the groins, thighs, hips, chest, and shoulders
    • Improves balance
    • Increases stamina

Begin in Warrior 2.  Bend your right arm; place the right forearm lightly on the top of the right thigh with the palm up, fingers spread and hand energized.  Place your left hand on your left hip; firm your left shoulder blade onto your back as you roll your right hip under your left.  Lift your gaze up and to the left while keeping your neck in a neutral position in line with the spine.

Maintaining the energy in your right arm, slide your left arm up your body, past your left ear and extend your left arm away from your body.  Lift the left side of your body up as you continue to stretch out through the extended arm and down into the floor with your back foot.  Press the back pinky toe, big toe ball mound, and heel firmly into the floor to stabilize your position as you stretch.

Variation:  When you step into Warrior 2, place your back foot (pinky toe edge) flush with a wall.  As you extend through the pose, press the back foot into the wall; stretch from your hips through your finger tips on your extended arm side and from the hips down through the foot pressing into the wall.  This will improve balance and allow you to enjoy a greater side body stretch in Side Angle Pose.

Looking for a yoga sequence you can incorporate into your daily routine?  Check out Refresh, Renew, Reset~A 7-Day Jumpstart For Mind and Body.  I created this nutrition protocol with daily yoga and meditation to assist you in jumping into (or back into) your healthy lifestyle!