Uta’s Insights: Yoga Pose of the Week — 7. Gate Pose

Gate Pose — Parighasana

© Tim DeFrisco

Parighasana is a wonderful lateral stretch for your torso. This asana strengthens the muscles of the waist, especially the external oblique muscles, and intercostal muscle groups — the small muscles located between the ribs. And it engages the core while you practice.

Working both sides increases the flow of prana, or life force, meaning that practicing this asana more often will help you to improve your breathing capability.

The Gate pose is popular with our friends who are new to yoga since it is an easy step to other exercises like, for example, the Triangle pose.

How to practice the Gate pose:

1. Kneel with your knees hip width apart and the tops of your toes on the floor.
2. Inhale as you raise your arms to the sides at shoulder level with palms facing down.
3. Now stretch your right leg out to the side with your leg straight and pointing your right toes.
4. Exhale and lengthen the torso as you curve to the right until your right hand reaches the right ankle.
5. Keeping your body in one plane, stretch the left arm over your head towards the right. The palm of this hand facing down. Turn the head to gaze upward from under the left arm. Hold this position for several breaths. Now switch sides.

I hope you enjoyed the selection of standing poses that we practiced during the past weeks.

Next week we will relax with the help of the Child’s pose — an asana I enjoy after the standing poses because it prepares mind and body for the floor poses.

I wish you much joy while practicing your yoga program.

Namaste!

Yours,

Reading Suggestions:

1. Yoga for Performance^sm: Introduction
2. Yoga for Performance^sm: Runners’ Sequence, Part 1