12 Tips for Triangle Pose

I look at this photo and I wonder. Three major teachers, three different approaches on how they went about one posture in their own books.  The pose? Triangle, one of the most useful poses that almost every yoga class in the planet includes.  My own twelve tips are at the end.

The photo shows Master teacher Krishnamacharya on the left (from Yoga Makaranda free book here), BKS Iyengar in the middle (From his book  Light on Yoga) and Sharath Jois, standing for Pattabhi Jois (in his book: Yoga Mala).

And so going from left to right, let's look at the focus of each main teacher:

Length of Stay/Slow Breath  -  Krishnamacharya:

Krishnamacharya has his shocking element, as it were, on the duration we need to stay in the pose for.  If you think the word shocking is not appropriate check this out:

"This asana must be practiced for a minimum of 10 minutes. However slowly and patiently we practice this, there is that much corresponding benefit"  -

A 10 minute triangle!

Interesting thing about the master yogi is that his wording on how to get into the pose is not very precise, I would go as far as to say is a bit confusing.

"keeping the legs spread no less than three mozhams apart, take either arm and lift it straight up..."

Google cannot tell me what a mozham is, but even if it told me that is something like a foot, still, saying something like:  "take either arm and lift it straight up" is not something I would imagine saying for guiding people into the pose.  In all fairness, he does say to look at the photo in detail.

The breathing part is always there, he says that the inhalation and exhalation of breath must be equal and slow.

Interesting photo detail: he is putting the lower palm on top of the foot.

Alignment / Gaze - BKS Iyengar

BKS is like a technician of asanas, he likes to give very precise instructions and from this very early bible of yoga (Light on Yoga) he starts using angles for precision

"Turn the right foot sideways 90 degrees to the right. Turn the left foot slightly to the right, keeping the left leg stretched from the inside and tightened at the knee. Exhale bend the trunk sideways to the right, bringing the right palm near the right ankle... gaze at the thumb of the outstretched left hand...."

His precise instructions are delightful.  The breathing is also included, it is not as vital as it was with Krishnamacharya, he just focuses on it but not as intensely as, say, Pattabji Jois, below.

Interesting detail: he places the lower palm on the floor.

Vinyasa / Breathing - Pattabhi Jois

Jois is different, he starts by talking about vinyasa (vinyasa means to place in a special way).  His focus is completely on understanding the dance of the pose, on how we get into it and move about it. Look at how he starts

"Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle) has five vinyasas, of which the 2nd and the 4th are the states of the asana. Exhalation occurs in the even numbered vinyasas and inhalation in the odd."

So as we open the legs to the side (the first vinyasa - the odd number) we inhale, then, as we extend the torso and grab the shin, toe, foot or floor, (the second -even- vinyasa) we exhale.

Every movement Jois describes includes the vinyasa description and inhalation or exhalation.  The breath is as important as the precise instruction.

"Then, turn the right foot to the right and exhaling, reach down and take hold of the big toe of the right foot with the right hand, lift up the other arm, fix the gaze on its fingertips and do puraka (inhale) and rechaka (exhale) slowly and as much as possible; this is the 2nd vinyasa..."

Interesting detail:  he grabs the toe of the front foot.  I asked ashtanga teachers why this is and I have received overwhelmingly the response that in grabbing the toe we "close the circle of energy of the pose".

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As I learned the pose there were some details that came in handy for my own understanding, here they are:

1- Both sides of the torso need to maintain the same length
2- Weight is distributed evenly between the two legs
3- Legs are straight and keeping the arch of the back foot active helps remind the back leg to stay "on"
4- Breath is smooth and long, making the "hissing of the serpent" sound
5- I like the description of the length between the legs being "the length of my legs", it makes it more personal than 3 feet. (That tip comes from Cooper's book)
6- legs need to be engaged, kneecaps slightly up so that the quads are working and the foundation is solid
7- Different levels of flexibility need to be considered, so garbing the shin, the foot or a block is ok in the beginning, but yes, the aim would be to eventually grab the toe
8- If we grab the toe is important not to put the weight on it, but rather use the strength of the frame of the body to keep the posture up
8- Hips are open
10- Looking up at the arm on top we can think of opening the heart, the chest
11- Entering the pose by jumping the feet apart towards the right on the inhale and then right away exhaling into position by reaching for the back of the room and garbing the shin (or toe), may not be possible at first.  Extra breaths may be needed, but eventually the dance of the triangle can happen.
12- If gazing at the hand that is up towards the ceiling is difficult this could be a good indicator to see what areas may be collapsing within the pose.

Perhaps the most important thing I've learned through, by reading from these gods of Yoga, is that there is no right or perfect way to do Yoga.  If you start to do yoga, start studying with teachers and reading books, then bit by bit, yoga will deliver to you the right way that is appropriate to you.