Home/core/Triangle Pose

Triangle Pose

Difficulty: ⭐ Beginnercore

Home Setup

Practice on any non-slip surface with enough space to extend your arms and legs wide. Use a wall nearby for balance support if needed.

yoga mat or towelwall for supportbook or block

💡 Pro tip: Place your back heel against a wall to help maintain proper alignment and prevent the back foot from rolling inward

Gym Setup

Yoga mat in an open area with access to a wall or stable surface for support

Safety: Avoid this pose if you have low blood pressure, headaches, or neck injuries; keep your gaze neutral rather than looking up if you experience neck discomfort

💪 Muscles Worked

ObliquesQuadricepsHamstringsHip AdductorsIntercostals

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Triangle Pose strengthens the legs and core while stretching the hips, hamstrings, and side body. It improves balance, spinal mobility, and opens the chest for better breathing, while also stimulating digestion and relieving stress through the combination of grounding and opening movements.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Triangle Pose with Block

yoga block + yoga mat

Reduces the range of motion required and provides stable support for the bottom hand

2. Triangle Pose with Hand on Shin

yoga mat

Decreases the depth of the lateral flexion, making it more accessible for tight hamstrings

3. Triangle Pose Against Wall

yoga mat + wall

Provides support for balance and helps maintain proper alignment of the back body

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Revolved Triangle Pose

yoga mat + optional block

Adds spinal rotation and requires greater balance, flexibility, and core engagement

2. Bound Triangle Pose

yoga mat

Increases shoulder and chest opening by binding the hands behind the back

3. Triangle Pose with Arm Variation

yoga mat

Challenges balance and shoulder flexibility by reaching the top arm overhead or behind the back

↕️ Similar Movements

Extended Side Angle Pose
Similar standing lateral flexion with bent front knee instead of straight leg
Warrior II
Shares the same wide-legged stance and is often used as a transition pose
Half Moon Pose
Natural progression that adds a balancing element while maintaining the lateral line
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Uses the same leg position but folds forward instead of laterally
Gate Pose
Similar lateral flexion pattern performed from a kneeling position

Form Checklist

✓Ground through all four corners of both feet, especially the outer edge of the back foot
✓Reach forward first with your front hand before lowering down to maintain length in the spine
✓Stack your top shoulder over the bottom shoulder and rotate your chest toward the sky
✓Keep both legs actively engaged with the front knee tracking over the ankle
✓Lengthen through both sides of the waist equally, avoiding collapse in the lower side

Common Mistakes

  • •Collapsing into the bottom side body instead of maintaining length and lift through the torso
  • •Allowing the back foot to roll inward or the back hip to collapse forward, breaking alignment
  • •Hyperextending or locking the front knee instead of maintaining a microbend
  • •Reaching down too far too soon, sacrificing spinal length for depth
  • •Cranking the neck to look up at the top hand, creating strain in the cervical spine

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can hold Triangle Pose for 5-8 breaths with proper alignment, your bottom hand reaches the floor or ankle comfortably without rounding the spine, and you can maintain steady balance without wobbling or needing to adjust your feet