Well Warriors, it’s been a minute since I’ve posted something in my Yoga Options series. If you are new to my blog, this series is about making yoga poses more accessible. One of the things I hear from students/clients all the time is that they feel they lack flexibility and so are afraid to try yoga. Don’t fret, I gotchu.
Side Angle is one of my favorite yoga asanas. It is a side bending posture and a great standing hip opener. Side bends involve folding the spine to the left or the right. These are great because they stretch everything in the core. These especially allow relief of spinal compression and low back pain. These are types of postures that you come out of feeling taller.
Additionally, because the left and right sides of your body are doing something different, you can focus on what each individual side needs. Sometimes one side of the body is tighter or stiffer than the other due to repeated postures, especially seated. Side bends allow you to address the left and right separately.
Side Angle, due to the placement of the feet and lower limbs, is also a great hip opener. The rear leg, which remains straight, gets a huge stretch. Depending on your exact placement, hip flexors, inner and outer thigh (medial and lateral quads) and hamstrings are all involved.
A quick Google search will confirm why many are nervous about this pose. Practiced yogis usually start with a very open foot placement, which will cause a very intense lower body stretch. Often Side Angle is also performed with a Bind. From a physical standpoint, a Bind adds an additional stretch to the chest while keeping it aligned. From a metaphysical standpoint, Binds are often used to help control energy flow in the Subtle Body.
Binds are a much more advanced yoga concept. So, it is no wonder that seeing pictures where many of the practitioners are showing this version is off putting to beginners. Rest assured, you do not need to employ a Bind to get amazing benefits from Side Angle.
Basic Posture Directions
Start tall in Mountain. Inhale, lift the chest and step feet 3-4 feet apart. Exhale and turn one foot so it is perpendicular to the other (this becomes the front foot). Inhale and lift arms out to the side. Exhale and bend knee over front foot. You should be in Warrior II at this point. Allow a breath or two for the shoulders and hips to relax. Inhale, bend the waist towards the front foot while allowing the arms to rotate so the back hand and arm create a long line from the tips of the fingers to the floor. Reach the front hand to the floor, placing it next to the foot. Ensure that the chest remains lifted and open to the front; do not allow it to face the floor.
Forearm Option
Flexibility limits in the hamstrings may make it difficult to reach the floor for many people. Additionally, the bent position of the front leg can cause a pinching feeling in the hip. Using a yoga block as a prop for the front hand is an option. If your individual comfort is still not met, though, you can use the forearm option. As you bend and your arms rotate, allow the back arm to reach and create the long line, but instead of reaching to the floor with your front arm, bend it and place your forearm on the thigh. Still plenty of stretch happening, but with a bit more comfort.
Narrow Stance
As I mentioned before, Google image results often show this asana practiced with a very wide stance. My basic directions already shorten that, but if you need to shorten it further by keeping your feet 2-3 feet apart, you do you. This will keep the body in a more vertical orientation, which also means you’ll need to combine this with a yoga block or the Forearm Option. In the picture above, I’ve narrowed my stance, used the forearm option as well as turned my head (which is a great variation if you have neck pain or tension). Especially if you tend towards tight hips, this is a great place to start practicing or to use as a warm up before you attempt a deeper version.
Knees Option
Another variation if you have tight hips or if you’d really like to focus on the upper body, is to practice from your knees. In this version, the front leg is grounded via the knee (use a towel for cushion if needed). This will automatically place the body closer to the ground, making the front hand position less of a reach (ha!). If you tend to feel the pinching in the front hip but otherwise don’t have a flexibility limit of reaching the floor, this option is a great warm up.
Chair Option
If balance is a concern or you feel wobbly or unstable with the majority of your body weight on the front leg, you can employ the use of a chair (or anything else stable and of similar height). Place the chair just past the toes of your front foot. As you bend, place the front hand on the seat of the chair. The front hand will transfer your upper body weight into the chair, which has four legs and will thus increase stability.
Side Angle is a great asana that can be part of anyone’s practice. Which options are you excited to try? Tell us in the comments!
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