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Chapters (10)

Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose) with Gabriella Giubilaro, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher

Roads To Bliss · 11:35

In this practice

Key teachings

  • Spinal alignment and length before rotation
  • Initiating twist from the ribs and upper back, not the lower back or hand
  • Stability through grounding and imaginary 'wall' support
  • Awareness of sacrum and sitting bones for lower spine extension
  • Synchronizing breath with movement and extension

Ideal for

  • Intermediate yoga practitioners
  • Students looking to deepen their understanding of twists and spinal mechanics
  • Iyengar yoga practitioners or those interested in precise alignment
  • Individuals wanting to refine their Parivrtta Trikonasana

Lesson

Instructions

learn more about Gabriella at: and many more videos from Gabriella and other great Iyengar teachers at roadstobliss.com

Steps

  • Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
  • Specific alignment cues for spinal extension and rotation
  • Using resistance and imaginary props (wall) for stability

Benefits

  • Improved spinal mobility and flexibility
  • Enhanced body awareness, especially in the torso and pelvis
  • Strengthens core and legs for stability
  • Opens chest and shoulders for better breathing
  • Aids in detoxification through twisting action

Transcript

[Music] we start facing there and we are going to do the first part of parita triona now so you jump again okay turn the right foot out the left foot in maintain in line the left foot goes in no no no no only the feet the arms on the side arms on the side we're not going to do and then turn Okay arms on the side okay maintain the height now extend well your arms and when you go down to parita tonasa maintain the weight on the inner Right Foot the right hip in and do not go from the hand from the ribs turn from your ribs down to parita tonasa the hand has to go on the other side right arm up hands head back now the back of the head has to be in line with the Saum shoulder and head back maintaining the right hand strong where it is chest forward head back don't turn your head for the moment okay see that don't think about turning first thing we have to do is put the back of the head in line with the sacrum at the same time that you continue to extend the right arm up fix the position of the right arm and go back with the head in line with the tailbone and then inhale and come up again we do on the other side maybe you can just stay that way you're enough far away from the wall turn the right foot in left foot out a little bit more distance you can stretch your arms and move with the arms par okay now press inner left foot the outer right foot exhale and go down to parita trionas the back of the head in line with the sacrum the F before trying to turn we need to be straight okay we can turn around the spine if the spine is straight so the first work to do before we think about the rotation is to have a back of the head and the sacrum in line fix the position of the top hand and then continue to extend the spine without moving the top hand and then inhale and come up okay fit together okay I want to show you one thing when you turn okay there is no need to be this way with the pelvis where you're already sinking forward so then when you go forward there is not the extension on the spine because you're already bending the spine so maintain the the sacrum extended down the lumber long and then see that you don't go with the hand but go with the arpit the arpit has to move but the sacrum the sitting bone the sacrum has to extend the old time away from the lumber when you're going is different that if you do this in all the standing poses we should learn how to be aware on the lower part of the spine when we are going okay so let's do this everybody yeah this is a work for everybody okay jump turn the so wait sitting bone sacrum in the direction of the floor lift the ribs and then maintain it when you turn the left foot in and the right foot out maintain the extension on the spine maintain and then with this with this action with this extension with this awareness of the sacrum and the sitting bones down away from the lumber exhale go to parita tonasa put the left hand outside the the foot stretch your right hand okay now the right hip in right tip in in head back head back and then feel again that the sitting Bones the pelvis is going away from the chest in the direction of the back foot inhale and come up okay other side right fo stop there again extend the lower part of the spine turn to the left again extend the lower part of the spine the right B down down and away from the sacrum down and away from the sacrum turning the right side and maintaining the rotation of the right side so we do the rotation from the lower back exhale go to parita trionas resist the Top Hand your left hand and now the head back head back in line with the Saum be stable with the Top Hand the left hip in outer left hip in and then inhale and come up okay now we are going to do the rotation okay I want to show a moment with Heidi don't worry okay ah too fast we stop a moment we do again we're going to show with height sprad their arms okay now maintaining their arms in line turn the back foot in the right foot out okay resist the B and then exhale and okay once the back is in line imagine that you have a wall here press a hand press and pressing this hand lift the whole front ribs up so first action you have to be in line with the spine but then the rotation starts from the front ribs but in order to to reach the ribs you have to be stable with this hand so imagine you're pressing into the wall press press and with this work you can lift more if you don't lift the head lift the ribs and then as a last thing you can lift turn the head okay shall we do it okay so it's a the to press a hand to think that you have a wall and press a hand it helps to maintain the stability of the wrist and the stability of the wrist both wrist one on the floor and one up it helps is like when you do the other twist that you hold something you're it's like if you're holding something and then you reach your chest ready okay jump if you can turn the left foot in the right foot out in line okay stop now we have to do everything well maintain the ankle in line with the heel so the weight is on the inner heel stretch your arms be stable with your wrist stretch your fingers imagine already now that you're pressing your hands on the on the two walls so then you reach you can lift your ribs at the same time that you lift your ribs take the sacrum down sitting bones down turn the left leg and then don't go from the hand exhale go down okay reach with the ribs not with the hand and once the hand is down right arm up okay now press the hand press press the head back and now press press and from there take the left arpit forward and up left arpit forward and up okay okay you see how much more action you get on the chest okay maintain the right s the right inner right heel down right hip in and then pressing the left foot stretching the arms inhale and come up the other okay the other side so remember the pelvis before you turn turn the right foot in left foot out okay you stop there press both hands lift the chest at the same time that you take the BS down right B down and then now maintaining the left ankle in line with the heel maintaining the whole left leg in exhale go down to parita trionas put the right hand on the floor stretch your left arm up head back first head back in line with the the back of the head in line with the sacrum and then maintaining Hold the top hand against the wall so you become stable with the top wrist and maintaining the stability left arpit forward sorry right arpit forward and up right continue to press outer right foot when you do it okay maintain the weight on the back foot when you do the rotation and then spread through the arms and the last thing you can also turn your head but after first you have to turn the ribs this is why we're not turning the head for the moment inhale and come up and then fit together imagine that you have a wall here press the hand press and pressing this hand lift the whole front ribs up so first action you have to be in line with the spine but then the rotation starts from the front ribs but in order to to reach the ribs you have to be stable with this hand so imagine you're pressing into the wall press press and with this work you can lift more if you don't lift the head lift the ribs and then as the last thing you can lift turn the head

Practice summary

Level
intermediate
Duration
18 minutes
Equipment
yoga mat
Target areas
Spine (thoracic, lumbar, cervical)Hips and pelvisHamstrings and inner thighsCore muscles (obliques, deep abdominals)Shoulders and chest
Energy
balancing

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