Vasisthasana, or commonly known as side plank, might be one of my favorite poses. I experience strength and freedom in this pose. When I teach, I want my students to experience possibility in vasisthasana, instead of suffering 🙂
Here are some tips to experience some joy in your side plank:
- Place your bottom hand directly underneath your shoulder. Press your thumb and pointer finger knuckle into the ground to create space under your palm. This will ensure good wrist alignment and decreased sensation of pain through the wrist.
- Press the floor away from you with your bottom hand. This will lead to stability in the shoulder taking most of the weight.
- Pull your belly button up and in towards your spine. This allows for the core to be engaged – which is really the bread and butter of this pose.
- Stack your hips so they are on top of each other – you can check to see if your hip pointers are facing in the same direction. The tendency is to have the top hip pointer face the ceiling.
- As for the legs, stack them on top of each other and flex your toes towards your nose.
There are many modifications/intensifiers for the legs – let me give you a few of each:
Modifications
- Bend the bottom knee, leave the top knee straight
- Bend both knees, still stacking the legs on top of each other
- Top leg crosses in front of your body, planting the sole of your foot onto the ground
- If your wrist is bothering you – you can bend your elbow and place pressure on it.
Intensifiers
- Lift the top leg
- Grab your big toe of your top leg
- Tree pose with the top leg
- Reach your top arm overhead (this tends to be my go to Vasisthasana in class)
What’s great about your own yoga practice is you get the choice. You can even get creative and make your own modifiers/intensifiers. Happy side planking!
Shine on,
Jackie