Extended and Revolving Lateral Angle Pose

1. Both poses begin in Tadasana. Spend a full minute equilibrating weight on the two feet, and balancing finely enough so that the act of breathing causes no sway in any plane.

2. Now rapidly draw the feet apart, jumping up vertically as little as possible in order to land with the feet 4-5 feet apart without jostling the internal organs. Raise the arms to horizontal.

3. Turn the right foot outward 90 degrees, the left foot inward 30 degrees, then descend, retaining an entirely straight left leg while the right knee bends to 90 degrees. Keep the little toe side of the left foot on the floor.

4. Take a quiet breath. The two poses are alike up to this point. After starting out the same way, they go separate ways from here on. They are presented one after the other.

5. For Utthita Parsvakonasana incline the trunk to the right as you exhale, and place the right palm at the little toe side of the right foot, parallel with it. The right forearm and shin should be vertical, and in line.

6. Revolve the torso, the left flank, and the left shoulder upward. Keep the left knee straight. Extend the left arm behind the ear and over the head. The slanting line from the back of the left hand to the left outer foot should be straight.

7. Press the right biceps in against the right knee; press the knee outward against the biceps. These two forces, and the pressure they generate at their meeting point, serve as the fulcrum for rotating the left torso and hip upward.

8. Stretch the left fingertips forward and the little toe side of the left foot backward, maximally elongating and maximally revolving.

9. Breathe smoothly and symmetrically for 10-20 seconds.

10. Then return, retracing the steps back to Tadasana, and perform the pose on the other side. Each side should be built up gradually to 1 minute.