UTTHITA PĀRSVAKOŅĀSANA A (5 MOVEMENTS)
1	EKAM	Inhale, open to the right, arms out
2	DVE	Exhale, right hand down, left arm reaches
3	TRINI	Inhale, up. Feet parallel, arms out.
4	CATVARI	Exhale, left hand down, right arm reaches
5	PANCA	Inhale, up
UTTHITA PĀRSVAKONASANA B (5 MOMENTS)
1	EKAM	Inhale, open to the right, arms out
2	DVE	EXHALE, TWIST LEFT HAND DOWN
3	TRIŅI	INHALE, UP. Feet parallel, arms out.
4	CATVARI	EXHALE, TWIST RIGHT HAND DOWN
5	PANCHA	INHALE, UP EXHALE, SAMASTHITI

Anatomy

UTTHITA PARSVAKONASANA  

EXTENDED LATERAL ANGLE POSE    

This pose represents a natural progression from virabhadrasana II—another exam-  ple of continuity between poses. Imagine that in Warrior II you are taking an exag-  gerated step in preparation to throw a spear. Utthita Parsvakonasana would be the  “follow through” of throwing the spear. We go from an erect trunk in Warrior II to  one that is laterally flexing in this pose. The back arm moves from extending away  from the body in Warrior II to stretching over the head in Utthita Parsvakonasana.  Combining the action of the shoulder and arm with anchoring the back foot into  the ground creates a stretch of the entire upper side of the body. Turn the back foot  in and the front foot out ninety degrees. Straighten the back knee and externally ro-  tate the hip. Flex the torso over the front thigh and rotate the chest upward from  the abdomen. This causes the lower side of the body to shrink and the upper side  to stretch. Look at how the shoulders and pelvis tilt in opposite directions, com-  municating with each other through the spine. Press the front foot into the floor  with the weight starting at the posterior heel and spreading across the ball of the  foot and toe mounds. Turn the face slightly upward and tilt the head back.  Remember that the underlying story of this pose is in the breath. Use the accessory muscles of breathing to open the chest and deepen your inhalations  while relaxing into the exhalations. Turning the body activates the abdominal mus-  cles, which work in conjunction with the internal intercostals and the elastic recoil  of the lungs to aid in exhalation. Remember to ease in and out of the breath to cre-  ate a sound like waves on a beach. Use ujjayi breathing.