{"id":1743,"date":"2015-02-05T01:12:55","date_gmt":"2015-02-05T01:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paulatooths.com\/index\/?p=1743"},"modified":"2018-04-26T20:50:32","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T19:50:32","slug":"30-vasisthasana-side-plank-pose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paulatooths.com\/index\/2015\/02\/05\/30-vasisthasana-side-plank-pose\/","title":{"rendered":"#30 Vasisthasana – Side Plank Pose"},"content":{"rendered":"

(LONDON) por Paula Tooths<\/p>\n

Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana) is a powerful yoga exercise or asana that aims at enhancing your arm balance. The Sanskrit term \u201cVasisth\u201d refers to \u201cbest or most excellent sage.\u201d As the level of excellence is an attribute of many sages, the Side Plank Pose is also referred to as the Sage Pose.<\/p>\n

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Yoga is not about touching your toes. It\u2019s about unlocking your ideas about what you want, where you think you can go, and how you will achieve when you get there. \u2014 Cyndi Lee<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\"paulatooths.com\"<\/p>\n

The challenge of this pose is not one of flexibility, but instead how to maintain the neutral alignment of the spine and legs and the simple positions of the arms against the action of gravity. The asymmetrical relationship to gravity means that muscles have to work asymmetrically to create a symmetrical alignment of the body \u2014 essentially tadasana turned on its side.<\/p>\n

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Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Front hand is under shoulder (as closed to stacked as possible), fingers spread and pointed towards front of mat.<\/li>\n
  2. Vertically stacked shoulders. Think of one long line from top shoulder, through the shoulder blades, bottom shoulder and elbow, into the wrist.<\/li>\n
  3. Long top line from ankle to shoulder. Imagine you can roll a marble from your top shoulder, down the ribs, past the top hips and knees, all the way to the top ankle.<\/li>\n
  4. Hips lift away from the ground. Expand into the ribs.<\/li>\n
  5. Chest can slightly rotate towards the ceiling. A little heart opening never hurt anyone.<\/li>\n
  6. Two choices for bottom foot position: Ankles flexed OR foot planted. In both cases, that top foot is stacked as best as possible.<\/li>\n
  7. Fully extended knees and elbows. Not locked, but fully engaged. You should feel like you\u2019re growing in all directions, not balancing perilously atop a sweaty floor.<\/li>\n
  8. Top arm can extend in line with bottom hand (towards the heavens) or along vector from the bottom ankle (towards where the wall meets the ceiling).<\/li>\n
  9. BREATHE!!!!!!!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Side Plank Pose is an advanced pose in yoga, and hence, a beginner can find it difficult to master. A good beginner\u2019s tip for the Side Plank Pose is to try to do this pose using the wall as a support. While performing Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog pose, you could also bend your legs for better support. You can also modify this pose by using your forearm as a support on the floor.<\/p>\n

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    ALTERATIONS:<\/p>\n

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