7 ways to vary Parsvottanasana

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Pārśvottānāsana (Intense Side Stretch) has many different interpretations, from the physical expression of the pose to the way people pronounce the word in their classes. For example, you often hear two different English translations. One is outside the pyramid, the other is intensive stretching to the sides. When you break this word down, you see that literally translated “parsva” means side, “ut” means intense, and “tan” means to stretch. You may hear that the first S in the word is pronounced with a standard S sound, as in the word “sandwich”, but the stress on the S indicates that it is pronounced more like a silent “shh” sound.
Many interpretations mean many advantages
In the most common form of Pārśvottānāsana, you take your hands behind your back in Pascimanamaskar (reverse prayer). This stimulates the arch in the upper spine. But the body bends forward at the hip joint, in this position you can tilt and relax the spine forward. By combining these two movements—extension of the spine and flexion of the hips—this pose demonstrates how to maintain your commitment even when it seems like you’re working against opposing forces.
Pārśvottānāsana can also be something like opening the heart. Of course, there are times when the opening of the heart may be inappropriate. For example, when your heart is broken, it can be helpful to do more rounded or inward-bent poses that allow the pieces of your heart to come back together. Fortunately, there are many variations of Parshvottanasana, allowing you to find whatever interpretation of the pose you need at any given moment.
Here are 7 variations of Parshvottanasana
Taking a pose
Stand on the mat and place your hands on your hips. Step back 3-4 feet with your left foot, keeping your feet hip-width apart. Turn your left foot and hip forward until you feel stable and your pelvis is in neutral rotation, meaning your hip bones are facing the front of the mat. Now select one of the arm and upper body position options you see below. To come out of the pose, raise your torso vertically and lift your back leg toward your front leg. Repeat each pose on the other side.
Choice of hand position

Hands in reverse prayer
This reverse form of prayer can be difficult if you have any limitations in your shoulders. This pose offers many options to achieve the same effect. If you are able to easily bring your hands into reverse prayer, this can be a great way to open up your chest and shoulders, as well as your wrists and forearms. These areas tend to become restricted due to the use of smartphones, computers and other devices that we all rely on.

Hands on hips
The traditional option is not available to all bodies. Also, there are many days when you don’t feel like working as much. Keeping your hands on your hips allows you to focus on opening your chest without being distracted by the difficulty of working in the shoulder joint of the reverse prayer.

Intertwined hands
Similarly, clasping the hands behind the back can be an alternative to the backward prayer. This position of the hands also allows for a lot of variation. For example, if your shoulders are more mobile, you can practice clenching your hands. Conversely, if your shoulders are tight or you’re dealing with an injury, open your arms so that the heels of your hands are further apart. Also, you can keep the back strap as wide as you need and achieve a chest opening.

Vertical back bend
While I’m a big fan of doing backbends in forward bends, there are also many benefits to the upright torso position. First, it’s a great way to prepare for deeper back bends. It is also helpful if coagulation is contraindicated for any reason, such as pregnancy or eye injury. And there’s something quite liberating about leaning back and moving with gravity, when you’d normally have to fight it in that position. You can use any of the hand options above when exploring the upright position.

Hands on blocks
Back bending is not the only purpose of Pārśvottānāsana. Arguably, the forward-bending element is equally important. After all, that’s half the pose. Forward bends lengthen the entire back of the body, including the calves, hamstrings, and spine. You can also get creative with the placement of the blocks. Placing the blocks towards the back of the mat can help you fold deeper. Walk your blocks further forward for more length. You can also place your hands directly under your shoulders and keep your torso at the same height as your pelvis.

Holding the block behind your back:
If you want to gain strength in your arms while creating space in your shoulders, try squeezing a block behind your back. When your fingers are intertwined or your hands are doing the reverse prayer, it’s tempting to rely on your flexibility, which can mean overstretching your joints without engaging the necessary stabilizing muscles. Because the arms are pressed together while holding the block, it activates the muscles of the outer arms, including the triceps and deltoids.

Hands on the seat of the chair:
Many people prefer not to let their head drop below their heart for a variety of reasons, including eye injuries, unregulated blood pressure, dizziness, or migraines. Holding the seat of the chair with your hands, you keep your torso at the same height as your hips. It’s still technically a forward bend when you bend at the hips, but when your torso is up, it doesn’t put the same amount of pressure on your head. It is also simply a great option for increasing length.
About our contributor
Sarah Ezrin is a writer, world-renowned yoga teacher, popular Instagram influencer, and mom based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her willingness to be unapologetically honest and vulnerable, along with her innate wisdom, make her writing, yoga, and social media a wonderful source of healing and inner peace for many. Sarah is changing the world by teaching self-love one person at a time. She is also an author Yoga education. You can follow her on Instagram at @sarahezrinyoga and TikTok at @sarahezrin.