We all know yoga is great, but how many of us actually include it in our routine? Not many of us, right? However, that doesn’t take away anything from the magical healing practice that is yoga. Today, we’re gonna talk about one of the many asanas that could help your body in multiple ways.
Trikonasana is an asana that is easy to do, helps the body and mind, and doesn’t really require fancy equipments, except a normal yoga mat. It opens you up, stretches out the tension you didn’t know you were holding, and reminds you how strong and grounded you really are.
We have listed the procedure, benefits, and precautions of Trikonasana that’ll help you learn about this healing pose and will force you to incorporate it in your routine.
What Is Trikonasana?
Trikonasana is a wonder! It is a foundational standing yoga posture that combines strength, stability, and deep stretching. We might not be great with Sanskrit, but we all know what a trikona means, right? It means a triangle.
Symbolically and physically, it reflects balance and grounding, forming a triangular shape with the body that promotes both openness and alignment.
It’s often one of the first standing poses yogis learn, but its depth keeps evolving as your practice grows. It activates the legs, stretches the spine and hips, and opens the chest—making it a powerful blend of calm and control.
Many variations of Trikonasana exist, and they are all basically just an extended version of it. While Utthita Trikonasana is a classic version and focuses on stretching the spine and strengthening the legs, the Parivrta Trikonasana is a deeper and twisted version that detoxifies the organs through a gentle spinal twist. There’s Baddha Trikonasana also, which is an extended version which opens the shoulders.
Variations or not — no one can deny the fact that Trikonasana as a pose is truly healing for the body and mind.
Steps To Do Trikonasana
• Start in a standing position.
Stand tall with your feet together and arms relaxed by your sides.
• Step your feet apart.
Take a step to the side so that your feet are about three to four feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees so your toes point to the side. Now, slightly turn your left foot inward.
• Align your body.
Make sure your right heel is in line with the arch of your left foot. Keep both legs straight without locking the knees.
• Extend your arms and tilt.
Raise your arms to the sides, with palms facing down. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, reach your right arm and tilt your torso down. Lower your right hand to your ankle and stretch your left arm straight up to the ceiling.
• Open your chest, hold, and breathe.
Keep your chest open and your shoulders stacked. Gaze up at your left hand if comfortable. Stay in the pose for 5-8 breaths. Inhale to rise back up with arms extended. When done, you can switch the feet and repeat the pose on the other side.
If you aren’t able to follow the instructions properly, you can refer to the picture or the video. Since now you can’t make excuses at all about not knowing how to do the pose, start with Trikonasana ASAP!
10 Physical & Mental Benefits Of Trikonasana
1. Improves flexibility and stability
Does your body feel like a stiff board after spending long hours at your work desk or endless scrolling in bed? We all have been there. Trikonasana can be a total game-changer in this aspect, because it stretches your hamstrings, calves and shoulders. Not only that, but it also improves your balance.
You can give your body a few minutes of your day by practising this asana, right?
2. Strengthening ability
Who says you need weights to build strength? I know the world says, but that’s not at all necessary, lovelies. Yoga can help you strengthen muscles, too. Wondering how? Well, hear me out — Trikonasana activates multiple muscle groups — your legs are holding you up, your core is keeping you stable, and your back is working to keep your chest open and spine aligned. Over time, this pose helps build endurance and strength in a very functional way.
While abs are great, what’s the use of them if you’re not able to climb the stairs without almost passing out, right? This is why Tikonasana strengthens your core, which is absolutely necessary.
3. Opens up hips and shoulders
Take a wild guess — how many hours of the day do you sit? Uhm, quite a lot, right? Be at work, in cars, on couches, in cafes and whatnot, you’re always sitting. And that means tight hips and rounded shoulders.
Trikonasana gently counteracts that. It opens your hip joints, stretches your inner thighs, and encourages your shoulders to roll back and open wide. You might not notice it instantly, but over time, you’ll feel more spacious in your movements. That “ahhh” stretch you crave after a long day? This pose gives you exactly that.
4. Reduces stress
Stress has taken over all our lives, and that too massively! Trikonasana isn’t just a physical pose, it’s deeply grounding. The focus it requires pulls you out of your overthinking mind and back into your body.
As you breathe through the stretch, it sends calming signals to your nervous system, helping you unwind. Even if you’re juggling a million thoughts, this pose carves out a small, quiet space inside you.
5. Aids digestion
Believe it or not, Trikonasana can actually give your digestive system a little boost. The twist and side-body compression involved in the pose gently massages the abdominal organs, which stimulates the digestive tract. It relieves constipation and improves blood circulation as well.
Especially in this torturing heat, your gut really needs something like Trikonasana instead of those heavy pills.
6. A saviour for back pain
Back pain has become part of life for many of us. Trikonasana helps by stretching and strengthening the back muscles while realigning your spine. If practised with good form, it can release tension along your lower and middle back.
Over time, your spine feels more supported, and you may notice fewer of those random aches that show up after doing pretty much nothing.
7. No more slouching
Chances are that you are slouching while reading this, right? Well, we’re all guilty of the “tech neck” and rounded shoulders. Trikonasana teaches your body what upright and aligned posture actually feels like.
By lengthening your spine, opening your chest, and strengthening the postural muscles, this pose slowly helps reverse the effects of bad posture. So, no more slouching on the sofa, you couch potato!
8. Improves sciatica pain
You can’t really feel the pain of sciatica patients if you haven’t suffered from the ailment. Sciatica pain is absolutely debilitating—sharp, radiating pain that runs from your lower back down the leg.
Trikonasana can provide gentle relief by stretching the hamstrings. If done consistently and mindfully, it may reduce flare-ups and help ease some of that nerve-related tension.
9. Helps with menopausal symptoms
For women going through menopause or perimenopause, Trikonasana can be a supportive ally. According to Samadhi Yoga Ashram, the pose improves circulation, calms the nervous system, and gently stimulates the reproductive organs, helping balance hormonal activity.
All this can help women a lot, because menopause or perimenopause are extremely taxing.
10. Boosts immunity
By stimulating the lymphatic system and improving blood flow, Trikonasana helps your body detox and defend itself more efficiently. A well-functioning lymph system translates into a stronger immune response.
Combined with its stress-reducing and sleep-improving benefits, this pose creates a ripple effect that supports your body’s natural defences.
One pose, so many benefits — told ya, this pose can help your mind and body in multiple ways!
Who Should Avoid Trikonasana?
1. Injuries
If your back is healing from an injury—or if you’re living with chronic back pain—diving into Trikonasana without support might do more harm than good. The sideways bend and twist can strain the spine if your muscles aren’t ready.
You don’t have to ditch the pose entirely, but using props, bending the front knee slightly, or working with a teacher can help you protect your spine while still getting the stretch.
2. Herniated disc
This one’s a big no-no, and no variation is safe for you if you’re suffering from a herniated disc. Trikonasana might aggravate it. The sideways tilt combined with rotation can put pressure on the lower back. Unless guided by a physiotherapist or yoga therapist, it’s better to skip this pose or explore gentler alternatives.
3. Lack of body-breath coordination
According to Tummee, lack of a body-breath connection will do more harm than good in this asana. When you don’t have coordination, trikonasana can lead to injuries, which is scary! So, make sure you have everything in place before you start it. If not, don’t even try!
4. Migraines
When your head is pounding, stretching sideways and holding your gaze in an upward direction can actually make things worse. If you’re mid-migraine or feeling the early signs of one, skip Trikonasana and opt for more restorative, grounding poses like Shishuasana or Viparita Karani instead.
