Gateway to flexibility

Gateway to flexibility

Parighasana, as demonstrated by Kamala Venkat, gives you a good stretch overall while strengthening your  ankles and feet 

P arighasana is also known as Gate Pose.  

In Sanskrit, ‘parigha’ means ‘gate’ or  

‘crossbar,’ and ‘asana’ means ‘pose.’  

Practising this pose regularly helps open  

up your hips and give a good stretch to your  

hamstrings and the sides of your body. 

Method 

• You can start this pose by sitting in Vajrasana. 

• Slowly come into an upright kneeling  

position with your hips over the knees. (Your  

knees and hips should be aligned.) 

• Now slowly try to extend the right leg,  

keeping the knee and ankle in line with your  

right hip. (The left leg should remain in the  kneeling position.)  

• Slowly inhale and extend your arms to your  sides. 

• Exhale and slowly move your upper body  towards the right side. (You should be  careful not to bend forward when you bend  sideways.) Try to rest your right palm and  wrist on the right thigh, or the shin or ankle,  depending on your flexibility. Raise your left  hand straight, alongside your left ear. Turn  the head upwards and gaze at the roof. Do a  deep inhalation and exhalation. 

• Stay in this pose for 10 seconds, feeling the  stretch in the left side of your body. Then  slowly raise your upper body, keeping it  straight, and bring your right leg back to the  

kneeling position with your hands down by  the side of your thighs. 

• Rest in Vajrasana. Then repeat the same  sequence with the left side also. 

Benefits  

• Gives a good stretch to the ribs, inner thighs,  and hamstrings. 

• Helps you to expand your chest and breathe  easily. 

• Gives a good stretch to your sides and back  muscles. 

• Strengthens the ankles and feet. 

Contraindications 

• Knee, shoulder, ribs, or ankle injury.