PyramidSave PDF
Parsvottanasana
PARSH-vo-TAH-NAH-sah-nah
Stretches hamstrings and shoulders
Stimulates abdominal organs
Improves balance, calms mind
How to perform Pyramid
- Begin standing. Step your left foot about 3 feet back with an exhale. Keeping your heels in one line, point your left foot 45 degrees to the left. Face your torso forward.
- Press your palms together behind your back with an inhale. Open your chest.
- Bend forward with an exhale. Reach your forehead toward your knee.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Rise with an inhale, then exhale and step your feet together. Change sides.
Alignment cues
- Anchor back heel to floor
- Lengthen front of torso
- Square your hips
- Do not lock knees
- Press ball of front foot into floor
Modification: Hold opposite elbows behind your back, or reach both hands to the floor.
Avoid this pose if you have high blood pressure or a back injury.
More yoga poses to discover
Pyramid (Parsvottanasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the forward bends and inversions and standing categories. This asana targets hamstrings, shoulders and spine, and also involves calves and wrists muscles. Pyramid stimulates abdominal organs; stretches hamstrings and shoulders and also improves balance, calms mind. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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