YOGA: Trikonasana, Triangle Pose

Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart.

Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.

Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees.

Align the right heel with the left heel.

Firm your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the right knee cap is in line with the center of the right ankle.

Exhale and extend your torso to the right directly over the plane of the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist.

Anchor this movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor.

Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two sides equally long.

Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel.

Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot, whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the torso.

Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.

Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling.

Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.

Benefits of Extended Triangle Pose:

Strengthens your legs, feet and ankles

Stretches your hips, groins, hamstrings, calves and spine

Opens your chest and shoulders

Strengthens your back, neck and abdominals

Stimulates your abdominal organs, aiding in digestion

Therapeutic for stress, anxiety, infertility, flat feet, neck pain, osteoporosis, sciatica and symptoms of menopause

Relieves backache, especially during pregnancy