THE ASANAS Standing
Triangle is a strengthening
and grounding standing
pose. It involves twisting your spine and ribcage to move
against gravity and the tendency to round forward and
down. Strong poses like this can strengthen both your
muscles and bones.
THE BIG
PICTURE
This pose particularly strengthens your core, thighs, and
legs. Deep muscles close to your spine engage to stabilize
your spine and give your brain feedback, enhancing your
mind–body connection.
TRIANGLE
Trikonasana
Arms
Your shoulders are
abducted by your middle
deltoids and supraspinatus
and stabilized by your rotator
cu muscles. Your posterior
deltoids externally rotate your
shoulders. Your elbows are
extended by your triceps and
forearms turned palms forward
by your supinators.
Neck and torso
To rotate your neck, on the side
nearer the ground (model’s left),
your sternocleidomastoid,
rotatores, multidus, and
semispinalis cervicis
engage,
while stretching on the upward-
facing side (model’s right). On the
upward side, your splenius
capitis and splenius cervicis
engage, while stretching on the
downward side. Your
transversus
abdominis engages to stabilize
your spine. On the upward-facing
side, your external obliques
stretch, while your internal
obliques engage to rotate your
spine. On the downward side,
your external obliques engage
to rotate your spine.
Back hip
rotating
inward
Center of
gravity
Knees soft,
not locked
Front hip
rotating
outward
Bring shoulder
blade back
Arm
reaches up
Press into outer
edge of foot
ALIGNMENT
Rotate your back hip
inward by turning
your toes inward.
Rotate your front hip
outward by turning
your toes toward the
front of your mat.
Rotate your spine to
stack your shoulder
blades vertically.
Abdominal obliques
Transversus abdominis
Spine
Spinal extensors
Sternocleidomastoid
Deltoids
Supraspinatus
Biceps brachii
Pectoralis minor
Triceps brachii
Brachialis
Elbow
Supinator
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119
Back leg
Your hip is internally rotated, which may bring a slight
stretch into your
external rotators—including your
gluteus maximus
and sartorius. Your quadriceps
extend your knee while your
hamstrings engage to
stabilize while in a lengthened position. Your
adductors
are stretching while helping to stabilize. Your
calf
muscles and tibialis anterior engage to stabilize your
ankle. Your bularis muscles are lengthening while
you press the outer edge of your foot rmly down.
Front leg
Your hip exors engage
while your gluteus maximus
and sartorius externally rotate
your hip. Your quadriceps
extend your knee while your
hamstrings engage to stabilize
while in a lengthened position.
Your adductors are stretching
while helping stabilize. Your calf
muscles—gastrocnemius and
soleus—engage to stabilize
your ankle in slight plantar exion.
Your tibialis anterior engages
while in a slightly lengthened
position to stabilize your ankle.
KEY
Joints
Muscles
Engaging
Engaging while
stretching
Stretching
Rectus femoris
Pectineus
Vastus medialis
Vastus lateralis
Tensor fasciae latae
Iliotibial band
Gastrocnemius
Soleus
Tibialis anterior
Fibularis muscles
Ankle
Sartorius
Gastrocnemius
Soleus
Tibialis anterior
Sartorius
Rectus femoris
Gracilis
Adductor longus
Hip
Iliotibial band
Knee
Pectineus
Vastus medialis
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TRIANGLE Trikonasana THE ASANAS Standing
CLOSER LOOK
Strengthening the muscles of your thighs, hips, and back in poses like
Triangle may have the added benefit of boosting bone density. This pose
should be practiced with care—listen to your body and ease out of the pose
if you experience any pain or tingling, and be mindful of your knee joints.
VARIATION
Twisted Triangle adds a torso twist
to the pose, which challenges your
stability. With your right foot
forward, reach over your front leg
and rotate your torso to the right.
Avoid this pose if you have back
issues. Feel free to place your
left hand on your leg, a block,
or the floor.
Neck muscles
dynamically
engage and stretch
Bone growth
Large muscles in your thighs engage rmly,
benecially stressing your bones. This may
wake up cells in the bone called osteoblasts,
which triggers bone building. A 10-year trial
concluded that yoga appears to raise bone
mineral density in the spine and the femur.
Pressure points
Ease o or come out of any pose
that causes numbness, sharpness,
or shooting pain. This may be due
to pressure or impingement on
nerves. Likewise, stop if you
experience any tingling, coolness,
or a dull, lifeless feeling like when
you fall asleep on your arm. This
can be caused by pressure
occluding blood vessels.
Spongy
bone
Compact
bone
Osteon
Press outer
edge of back
heel down
Torso twists
upward
Rotator cu
muscles stabilize
the shoulders
Transversospinales
(including the rotatores
and multifidus) engage
to rotate with
awareness
Scalene muscles
may press on
nerves
Brachial
nerve plexus
Hand reaches
down
Osteoblasts at edge
of compact bone
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121
Calf muscles
stretch and
engage to
stabilize
Calf muscles
engage
Quadriceps
engage
Hamstrings
lengthen while
engaging to
stabilize and
maintain
balance
Triceps engage
to extend elbow
Elbow is soft,
not locked
Press down into
your feet evenly
Toes are spread
and relaxed down
Hyperextension of the knee
In Triangle, and all standing poses,
don’t lock or hyperextend your knees. It
can block nerves and blood vessels.
Microbend your knees to nd a more
stable position closer to 180 degrees.
Your muscles will work harder to support
the joint, strengthening even more.
More stable
alignment
with
microbend
in knee
Knee
hyperextends
POSTERIOR
LATERAL VIEW
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