Parshvottanasana (Sanskrit: पार्श्वोत्तानासना, IAST: Pārśvottānāsana) or Intense Side Stretch Pose is a standing and forward bending asana in modern yoga as exercise.
Etymology and origins
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The name of the pose is from the Sanskrit पार्श्व (parshva) meaning "side", ुत (ut) meaning "intense", तन (tan) meaning "to extend", and आसन (asana), meaning "seat" or "pose".[3]
The pose is unknown in medieval hatha yoga, but is described in Krishnamacharya's 1935 Yoga Makaranda,[4] and taken up by his pupils Pattabhi Jois[5] and B. K. S. Iyengar[6] in their respective schools of yoga.[7] A similar pose appears in Niels Bukh's 1924 Primary Gymnastics;[1] Mark Singleton suggests that Krishnamacharya, influenced by the general gymnastics culture of the time, adopted gymnastics poses into his flowing style of yoga.[2]
Description
editThe pose is entered from Tadasana. The hands are pressed palms together in prayer position behind the back, fingertips upwards. The feet are placed about a leg length apart, both legs remaining straight. The forward foot points directly forwards; the rear foot is turned forwards some 60 degrees. The hips are aligned at right angles to the feet, so that the body can move downwards in a forward bend straight over the front leg.[8][3] The hands may be taken to the floor to intensify the stretch.[9]
References
edit- 1 2 Bukh, Niels (2010) [1924]. Primary Gymnastics. Tufts Press. ISBN 978-1446527351.
- 1 2 Singleton, Mark (2010). Yoga body: the Origins of Modern Posture Practice. Oxford University Press. pp. 161, 200–203. ISBN 978-0-19-539534-1. OCLC 318191988.
- 1 2 Mehta, Mehta & Mehta 1990, pp. 40–41.
- ↑ Yoga Makaranda.
- ↑ Jois, K. Pattabhi (2002) [1962]. Yoga Mala (in Kannada). New York: North Point Press. ISBN 978-0-86547-662-2. OCLC 50567767.
- ↑ Iyengar 1979.
- ↑ Sjoman, Norman E. (1999) [1996]. The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. pp. 100–102. ISBN 81-7017-389-2.
- ↑ Iyengar 1979, pp. 78–80.
- ↑ Anon (28 August 2007). "Intense Side Stretch Pose". Yoga Journal.
Sources
edit- Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979) [1966]. Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika. Unwin Paperbacks.
- Mehta, Silva; Mehta, Mira; Mehta, Shyam (1990). Yoga: The Iyengar Way. Dorling Kindersley.
- Mittra, Dharma (2003). Asanas: 608 Yoga Poses. New World Library. ISBN 978-1-57731-402-8.
- Rhodes, Darren (2016). Yoga Resource Practice Manual. Tirtha Studios. ISBN 978-0983688396.