Yoga Journal USA — February 2018

FEBRUARY 2018 / 35 / YOGAJOURNAL.COM

PHOTOS

: RIC

K CU

MM

INGS

; M

ODE

L:

OL

IVI

A HSU

; STY

LIST

: JESSIC

A J

EANN

E^ E

ATO

N;

HA

IR/MAK

EUP

: BETH

WALK

ER

; TOP

AN

D^ BOTTO

MS

: PR

ANA; J

EW

ELRY

: BRO

NW

EN

OUR PRO Teacher and model Olivia Hsu has been studying Ashtanga Yoga for more than two decades. She’s studied with Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor

(and is now a senior teacher for them), as well as with Tim Miller. As a professional rock climber, Hsu understands the balance between maintaining a dedicated

yoga practice and other athletic passions. When she’s not scaling a rock face, she can be found traveling around the world leading yoga retreats and workshops.

YOGAPEDIA

PRACTICE WELL

How to move from

By Olivia Hsu

Utthita Parsvakonasana

to Visvamitrasana

Utthita = Extended · Parsva = Side

Kona = Angle · Asana = Pose

Extended Side Angle Pose

Utthita

Parsvakonasana

BENEFITS Strengthens your

legs, knees, and ankles;

stretches your hamstrings,

adductors (groin muscles), lats

(latissimus dorsi—back muscles

that help stabilize your spine);

tones your abdominal muscles

and pelvic fl oor.

INSTRUCTION

1 Start in Tadasana (Mountain

Pose). On an exhalation, step

your feet 3–4 feet apart. If you

feel as though your feet are slip-

ping, shorten your stance slightly.

(If your legs are too far apart, it’s

diffi cult to fi nd stability. As you

gain fl exibility, you can widen

your stance.) Rest your hands on

your hips. Turn your right foot out

so that your toes face the front

of your mat; turn your left foot

slightly in. Align your

right heel with your

left heel.

2 Engage your quadri-

ceps muscles by lifting

your kneecaps toward

your thighs. Bend your

right knee to bring your

right shin and thigh to

a 90-degree angle with

your right kneecap in

line with your right ankle.

3 On an inhalation,

extend your arms out to your

sides. Then, reach them up

overhead and lengthen through

your sides. Allow your pelvis to

shift: Rotate your left hip slightly

forward, and shift your right hip

back as you begin to fold to the

right. Keep your torso and spine

long as you side bend.

4 Place your right hand to the

outside of your right foot. Sweep

and extend your left arm over your

left ear, maintaining a straight line

from your left foot all the way up

to your left fi ngertips. Your palm

should be facing down. Attempt to

widen your collarbones to create

space between your left shoulder

and left ear.

5 Press through your outer left

foot. Keep your head neutral, or

turn it to gaze at your left thumb.

Hold here for 5–10 breaths.

Repeat on the other side.

DON’T lock up your pelvis as you

sidebend, which can cause a pinching

in your hip and lead to wear on the

cartilage around your hip joint. Instead,

allow your pelvis to rotate.

DON’T bring your right knee

past your foot, which can

put unnecessary pressure

on your knee.