How To Teach Parivrtta Trikonasana: Revolved Triangle Pose
Step 1
Teach The Sanskrit
Teach your students the Sanskrit by breaking it down into bite-sized morsels.
Parivrtta
Par-ee-vrit-tah
trikonasana
trih-koh-NAH-sah-nah
Ask your students to learn the Sanskrit of the pose by getting them to repeat it as a mantra for 5 minutes.
Another way to remember trih-koh-NAH-sah-nah is that it’s a TRICKY asana to get right.
Step 2
Teach The Meaning
Parivrtta = Turn around, revolve
Trikona = Triangle
Step 3
Teach The Etymology
Teach your students the etymology (the root of the words)…
- trikona (त्रिकोण) = triangle
- asana (आसन) = posture
Step 4
Teach The Benefits
Teach your students the benefits…
- Improves sense of balance
- Strengthens and stretches legs
- Stretches hips
- Stretches spine
- Relieves back pain
- Stimulates abdominal organs
- Opens chest to improve breathing
Step 5
Teach The Precautions
- Lower back problems
- Don’t look up for too long if you have Cervical Spondylosis
- Cardiac condition: do not raise your arm
- Don’t practice if you have neck pain
- Don’t practice if you have a headache
- Don’t practice if you have a diarrhea
- Don’t practice if you have a low blood pressure
- Don’t practice if you have psoriasis
- Don’t practice if you have varicose veins
- Don’t practice if you have depression
Step 6
Learn Something New
Watching videos of other yoga teachers teaching poses is a great way of picking up new ways of teaching. Below is a short video on how to teach Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose).
http://youtu.be/MeSx53eoXok
Step 7
Teach The Steps
Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).
Step feet four feet apart.
Reach arms out to sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
Turn left foot in 45 degrees to the right and right foot out to the right 90 degrees.
Align the right heel with the left heel.
Turn right thigh outward.
Turn torso to right & square hips as much as possible with the front edge of your mat.
As you bring the left hip around to right, resist head of left thigh bone back & firmly ground left heel.
Turn torso further to right and lean forward over the front leg.
Reach left hand down, either to the floor (inside or outside the foot) or onto a block positioned against the inner right foot.
Allow left hip to drop slightly toward the floor.
Step 8
Teach The Modifications
Knowing a few modifications for each posture you teach is really important. It will make you a versatile and much more professional yoga teacher.
Chair
If your student is struggling to reach their hand on the floor, use a chair (Chair triangle pose).
Less Is More
Easing off your furthest limit in Trikonasana can make way for a deeper stretch in the pelvis and shoulders.
Neck Pain
If you have neck pain, don’t look up to the ceiling.
Satya (truthfulness)
Ask your students to tap into their Satya (truthfulness) to be aware how far they can venture into the posture.
Space
Maintain space between your ribcage and pelvis on both sides of body.
Tailbone lengthening
Imagine your tailbone lengthening away from your crown.
Yoga Block
If your student is struggling to reach their hand on the floor, use a yoga block.
Steps 9
Teach The Variations
If a student isn’t able to do this posture, or if you have advanced students, give them a variation.
- Bound triangle pose (Baddha Trikonasana)
- Bound revolved side angle pose (Parivṛtta Baddha Parsvakoṇasana)
- Chair triangle pose (Trikonasana)
- Extended triangle pose (Uttitha Trikonasana)
- Revolved triangle pose (Paravritta Trikonasana)
Steps 10
Make Your Lesson Planning Easy
Okay. You got me. This isn’t a step. But if you want to make your yoga lesson planning easy, take a quick peek at my Yoga Genie Lesson Planner.
