Benefits of Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) and How to Do it By Dr. Himani Bisht

Introduction:

Yoga is a spiritual practice that has its roots in ancient India. It brings about a balance between the body, mind and soul. Over the years, its popularity has skyrocketed, with the western world awakening to its benefits. 

Though developed as a spiritual discipline, it has more or less been adopted by developed countries as a form of exercise or a way to combat stress. Over the years, different styles or types of Yoga have evolved, which are modified versions of the basic yoga postures. Some of the Yoga types are: Ashtanga or power yoga, Bikram or hot yoga, Hatha yoga, Integral yoga, Iyengar yoga, Kundalini yoga, and Viniyoga.¹ 

The most popular of all types of Yoga is Hatha Yoga. The origins of Hatha Yoga date back to the 11th century. This type of Yoga stresses a lot of importance on holding the various asanas (body postures) properly while performing the sequence of exercises. Trikonasana is one of the asanas of Hatha Yoga.² 

What is Trikonasana?

Trikonasana is a standing posture of the Hatha Yoga type of Yoga. ’Tri’ means three and ‘Kona’ means ‘corner’. So, trikonasana literally translates to ‘Three-corners’. It is named so as the final posture resembles a triangle formed by the torso, upper limbs and lower limbs. 

Trikonasana mainly focuses on stretching the body sideways. It may help improve spinal flexibility. It may also have the effect of lengthening the leg muscles and reducing stiffness in the legs and hips. ^2,3 

Practice trikonasana in case of diabetes! Researchers believe a regular practice of trikonasana might offer a natural remedy for type II diabetes. Trikonasana is believed to lower the raised blood glucose levels and hence might help with diabetes.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Also Read: Benefits of Halasana (Plough Pose) and How to Do it By Dr. Himani Bisht

How to Do It?

While Yoga has many benefits, it is essential to do the asana using the proper technique to avoid any injuries. The stepwise method of doing the Triangle pose is as follows:  

• Stand straight with a 3-foot distance between your feet, with the knees straight and the feet turned out. 
• Keeping your gaze straight ahead, breathe in and lift both your arms sideways, up till the level of your shoulders. 
• Now, rotate the right foot towards the right side. 
• Breathe out and slowly bend sideways onto your right, placing the fingers of your right hand just behind the right foot. If you are doing trikonasana for the first time, you may not be able to touch the right foot. Instead, try touching the right knee. 
• Your left arm should line up straight with your right arm. 
• Turn your head to the left and focus on the middle finger of your left hand. 
• Hold this stance for 10-30 seconds. Make sure that you are breathing normally while holding this posture. If you are practising trikonasana for the first time, you may find holding the pose for 10-30 seconds difficult. In such a scenario, hold the stance for as long as you feel comfortable. 
• After 30 seconds, breathe in and slowly come up. 
• Now repeat the same steps for doing trikonasana on the left side.³ 

Although there are several postures in yoga that help in posture correction! Regular practice of trikonasana is believed to help in the correction of posture in conditions like scoliosis.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Do You Know?

Here are some interesting tidbits and fun facts about Trikonasana: 

• Trikonasana is a basic level asana in almost all variations of Yoga. Although, even this asana has advanced versions. They are: utthita trikonasana (the extended triangle pose), baddha trikonasana (the bound triangle pose) and parivrtta trikonasana (revolved triangle pose).⁴ These advanced versions can only be practiced after mastering the basic trikonasana pose.⁵ 
• Trikonasana provides a sense of stability and activates the ‘Muladhara’, the ‘root chakra’ of the body.⁶ 

Did you know trikonasana might help those suffering from depression? It is believed that those who regularly practise the tri-angled pose might have less chance of stress and depression. Trikonasana is said to decrease the cortisol levels in the blood, hence aiding in better mental health in general.

Dr. Smita barode, B.A.M.S, M.S.

Also Read: Benefits of Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) and How to Do it By Dr. Ankit Sankhe

Benefits of Trikonasana:

Trikonasana is a standing yogasana with several benefits which may help the overall development of your mind, body and spirit. Following are some ways that it might be helpful: 

1. Benefits of Trikonasana for Legs

The lateral bending in trikonasana may help lengthen the muscles of the leg, which in turn might improves the strength of the calves, thighs and the legs. It may also enhance the flexibility of the hamstrings (the muscles that are on the back of the thighs). Additionally, it may also help in relieving stiffness of the legs.^2,3,7 

2. Benefits of Trikonasana for the Spine

Trikonasana essentially involves bending sideways. This sideways bending stretches the spine and improves its flexibility.³ 

3. Benefits of Trikonasana for Digestion

Indigestion, occurring anytime in any age group, is always a discomfort. If you are suffering from an upset stomach, try trikonasana. It is said that it may be beneficial for indigestion.⁷ 

4. Benefits of Trikonasana for the Hips

Trikonasana may be help loosen the hips. It helps in stretching of the hips, which, in turn may help in strengthening it. It may be useful in improving the flexibility of the hips.⁷ 

5. Other Benefits of Trikonasana

• Trikonasana may help improve the blood circulation in the entire body, thus helping to keep the organs functioning optimally. It may be beneficial in the reduction of blood pressure, stress and anxiety issues and in improving lung capacity.^3,8 
• It may help strengthen the waist and the back muscles as assuming the trikonasana posture requires sideways bending. 
• It may help enhance groin flexibility since it involves stretching of the hips.⁷ 
• Outstretching the hands in trikonasana may improve the strength and flexibility of the arms.⁷ 

Practicing Yoga on a regular basis may be helpful in overall physical, mental, and spiritual development. One must not rely on only Yoga as a treatment protocol for any kind of medical issues. Please consult a qualified medical professional for any health condition so that he/she may examine and assess your condition properly and provide appropriate treatment. In addition, it is essential to practice Yogasanas under the guidance of a trained Yoga professional. 

Also Read: Benefits of Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) and How to Do it By Dr. Himani Bisht

Risks of Exercise:

Some precautions must be taken while performing trikonasana. They are as follows: 

• One must not overstretch while bending sideways. Do not push beyond your limits. 
• If in the final posture, your hands don’t reach your heels, do not over-strain. Try to just touch your knees instead. 
• Patients suffering from slip disc and sciatica should not practice this asana. 
• People who have had any surgery in the abdominal region in the recent past should not do trikonasana.³ 

The guidance of an experienced Yoga teacher/Yoga expert is valuable as he/she can assess your risk factors and decide whether it is safe for you to practice trikonasana.  

Conclusion:

Trikonasana or the triangle pose is a standing Hatha Yoga asana that helps the entire body. It has many benefits for the hips, legs, calves, lungs, arms and spine. While practising this posture, certain precautions must be taken. To gain maximum health benefits, one may practice this asana on a regular basis under the supervision of a qualified Yoga teacher. 

Also Read: Benefits of Sirsasana (Headstand) and How to Do it By Dr. Ankit Sankhe

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

References:

1. Health Y. Yoga for health: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2022 [cited 6 September 2022]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000876.htm 
2. Omkar S, Kumar A, Kapse R, Paul N, Vanjare A. Musculoskeletal modeling and analysis of trikonasana. International Journal of Yoga [Internet]. 2018 [cited 23 August 2022];11(3):201. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6134746/ 
3. 21 June INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA Common Yoga Protocol, Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) [Internet] 4th Revised Edition, May 2019. [Cited: 2022 Aug 23] Available from:  http://mea.gov.in/images/pdf/common-yoga-protocol-english.pdf  
4. TRIKONASANA – Revolved, Extended, Bound, Bikram – TRIANGLE [Internet]. Yogateket. 2022 [cited 6 September 2022]. Available from: https://www.yogateket.com/blog/how-to-trikonasana-variations 
5. Sahoo P. Trikonasana. 1st ed. Hari OM Yoga Vidya School; 2018. Available from:   https://www.academia.edu/37528951/Trikonasana 
6. Jerin CM, Prasanna TA, Chandrasekhar JA, Senthikumaran MS. An Influence of Yogic Practices on Selected MotorfItness Variable among Men Kho-Kho Player. Journal-Xi’an University Of Architecture & Technology. 2020. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Arun-Prasanna3/publication/342281832_AN_INFLUENCE_OF_YOGIC_PRACTICES_ON_SELECTED_MOTOR_FITNESS_VARIABLE_AMONG_MEN_KHO_KHO_PLAYER/links/5eeba043a6fdcc73be85c485/AN-INFLUENCE-OF-YOGIC-PRACTICES-ON-SELECTED-MOTOR-FITNESS-VARIABLE-AMONG-MEN-KHO-KHO-PLAYER.pdf 
7. How Yoga Can Help Boost Immunity| Ayush Next [Internet]. Ayushnext.ayush.gov.in. 2022 [cited 6 September 2022]. Available from: https://ayushnext.ayush.gov.in/detail/post/how-yoga-can-help-boost-immunity 

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