Triangle Pose
Trikonasana creates triangles throughout the body. It stretches the hamstrings and side waist while strengthening the legs and teaching spacious alignment.
- Level
- Beginner
- Family
- Standing
- Hold
- 5–8 breaths per side
- Works
- Hamstrings, hips, side body, chest
- Reach out before you reach down
- Top shoulder stacks over bottom
- Lengthen both sides of the waist
Step by step
How to do Triangle Pose
Begin Stand facing the long side of the mat, feet wide.
- 01
Step feet about a leg's length apart.
- 02
Turn the right foot out 90° and the left foot in slightly.
- 03
Raise arms to shoulder height.
- 04
Reach the torso out over the right leg, hinging from the hip.
- 05
Lower the right hand to the shin, a block or the floor outside the foot.
- 06
Extend the left arm toward the ceiling, stacking shoulders.
- 07
Turn the gaze up, forward or down, whatever is comfortable for your neck.
- ↩
Coming out. Inhale, press through the feet and rise with a long spine; repeat on the other side.
Breath
Breathe into the top side of the ribcage to lengthen both sides of the waist.
Focus
Side-body length and leg strength
Why practise it
Stretches hamstrings, hips and side body; strengthens legs and core; builds balance.
Alignment & cues
Both legs straight but not locked; hips and chest open; both sides of the waist long.
Teacher’s cues
- “Reach out before you reach down”
- “Top shoulder stacks over bottom”
- “Lengthen both sides of the waist”
Common mistakes
Collapsing the bottom side waist, hyperextending the front knee and reaching the hand to the floor at the cost of the spine.
Make it yours
Every body is different. Use props and variations freely — they are not a lesser version of the pose.
Easier
Use a block; shorten the stance; keep the top hand on the hip.
Variations
- Revolved Triangle
- Back against wall
Props
- Block under bottom hand
- Wall behind you
Where it fits in a flow
Warm up with the poses on the left, then move into the ones on the right.
Prepare with
This pose
Follow with
Practise with care
Safety
Look down instead of up with neck issues; use a wall with balance concerns; micro-bend the knee if hyperflexible.
Educational guidance, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain, pinching or dizziness, and check with a qualified teacher or health professional if you are pregnant, injured or managing a health condition.
In the tradition
Taught by Krishnamacharya and popularised in Iyengar's Light on Yoga.
Questions
Should my hand touch the floor in Triangle?
Only if your spine stays long. A block or the shin works just as well.
