Pairs with
Pose · P
Revolved Triangle Pose
Parivṛtta Trikoṇāsana
The same wide stance as Triangle, with the torso rotated so that the opposite hand comes down beside the front foot and the other arm reaches up. It is the first strongly rotational standing pose for most people and it punishes a rushed setup more than any of them.
The shape, with joint angles
The angles are measured on the drawn skeleton and change with the variant you pick. Treat them as a starting reference, not a target to force.
Specification
| Sanskrit | Parivṛtta Trikoṇāsana |
|---|---|
| Also called | Twisted triangle |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Loads | Hamstrings · Spine · Side body · Shoulders |
| Props | Mat · Block |
| Typical hold | 25 sec |
| Gaze | |
| Published | 27 October 2026 · By The Asana Desk |
Getting in
- 01
Step the feet a leg's length apart with the left foot forward and the hips square to the front of the mat.
- 02
Bring the left hand to the hip and turn the torso to face the front leg, keeping both hip points as level as you can.
- 03
Inhale to lengthen the spine, then exhale and hinge forward over the front leg from the hip crease.
- 04
Bring the right hand down to the outside of the left foot, or to a block placed there.
- 05
Reach the left arm up toward the ceiling and keep the hips level rather than letting the back hip lift.
- 06
Hold for 20 to 25 seconds, keeping the back leg firm and the back foot's outer edge down.
- 07
Come up on an inhale, turn back to the wide stance, and repeat with the other foot forward.
Working notes
Why this one is harder than it looks
| Setup choice | Effect |
|---|---|
| Short stance, hips level | Less rotation, much less load on the lower back |
| Long stance, hips level | More rotation, needs open hamstrings |
| Long stance, back hip dropped | Looks deeper, twists from the lumbar spine — avoid |
| Hand on a block outside the front foot | The standard version for most people |
The twist compresses the hamstrings on the front leg and the hip of the back leg at the same time, and it does it in a position where the balance is already narrow. People who find Triangle relaxed often find Revolved Triangle genuinely hard, and that is not a failure of flexibility.
The commonest shortcut is to let the back hip drop and the back heel lift. That buys about ten degrees of rotation at the cost of loading the lumbar spine sideways, which is exactly the trade this pose should not be making.
Rotate from the hips, then fold
The order matters: turn first, then fold. Folding first and then trying to twist produces a bend in the lower back with the rotation coming from the same place, and the two together are more than the segment can comfortably take.
Turn the pelvis toward the front leg as far as it will go while staying level, then hinge. If the twist disappears when you fold, the hips were not turned at the start.
Self-checks
- Are both hip points level, or has the back hip dropped?
- Is the back heel still down and the outer edge of the back foot grounded?
- Did the rotation survive the fold, or did it turn into a bend?
- Is the bottom hand pressing down, or just touching?
Safety
Skip or heavily modify the pose if any of these apply to you. When in doubt, ask a teacher who can see you move, or a clinician who knows your history.
- Disc injury, sciatica or any acute lower back pain: skip this pose entirely while it is active.
- Recent hamstring strain on the front leg: shorten the stance and keep the front knee bent.
- High or uncontrolled blood pressure: keep the head level, do not invert the gaze, and shorten the hold.
- Pregnancy: closed twists of this depth are not appropriate; substitute a wide-legged standing side bend.
- Recent knee or hip surgery: get clearance before attempting the twist.
This page is informational only. It is not medical advice and no pose here is a treatment for any condition.
- Block under the bottom hand, set outside the front foot before you fold.
- Shorten the stance considerably — a short, honest twist beats a long, collapsed one.
- Back heel to a wall, which stops the pelvis from sliding out of the twist.
- Left hand on the hip rather than reaching up, for the first few attempts, so the shoulders stay level.
Useful propsMat · Block
- One block placed outside the front foot before you start; reaching for it mid-pose is what loses the setup.
- A wall behind the back foot is the best available check that the hips have not drifted.
- No strap needed: this pose should never be pulled into.
- Disc injury, sciatica or any acute lower back pain: skip this pose entirely while it is active.
- Recent hamstring strain on the front leg: shorten the stance and keep the front knee bent.
- High or uncontrolled blood pressure: keep the head level, do not invert the gaze, and shorten the hold.
- Pregnancy: closed twists of this depth are not appropriate; substitute a wide-legged standing side bend.
- Recent knee or hip surgery: get clearance before attempting the twist.
Inhale to lengthen the spine and turn, exhale to fold. During the hold, breathe into the back ribs.
- If the breath cannot reach the back ribs, the twist is coming from the lumbar spine; unwind a little.
- Come out of the pose on an inhale — the ribcage needs the room.
- Never push deeper on a held breath.