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Utthita Vasisthasana (sometimes shortened to Vasisthasana) () or Side Plank pose is a balancing
File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg, Vasisthasana B, with toe grip
File:Camatkarasana.jpg, Chamatkarasana, Wild Thing Pose, a modern posture between Vasisthasana and Upward-Facing Bow Pose
File:Eyal Shifroni in Vasisthasana with props.jpg, Vasisthasana using props
Utthita Vasisthasana (sometimes shortened to Vasisthasana) () or Side Plank pose is a balancing asana
An āsana (Sanskrit: आसन) is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose,Verse 46, chapter II, "Patanjali Yoga sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda, published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math p. 111 and late ...
in modern yoga as exercise
Yoga as exercise is a physical activity consisting mainly of asana, postures, often connected by vinyasa, flowing sequences, sometimes accompanied by pranayama, breathing exercises, and frequently ending with savasana, relaxation lying down or ...
.
Etymology and origins
The name of the pose comes from theSanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
extended, Vasiṣṭha
Vasishtha (, ) is one of the oldest and revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vasishtha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vasishtha and his family are mentioned in Rigved ...
, a sage, and , "posture" or "seat".
The pose is not described in the medieval hatha yoga
Hatha yoga (; Sanskrit हठयोग, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''haṭhayoga'') is a branch of yoga that uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word ह� ...
texts. It appears in the 20th century in the Ashtanga (vinyasa) yoga
Ashtanga yoga (not to be confused with Patanjali's ''Ashtanga (eight limbs of yoga), aṣṭāṅgayoga'', the eight limbs of yoga) is a style of yoga as exercise popularised by K. Pattabhi Jois during the twentieth century, often promoted as a ...
of Pattabhi Jois
K. Pattabhi Jois (26 July 1915 – 18 May 2009) was an Indian Modern yoga gurus, yoga guru who developed and popularized the vinyasa, flowing style of yoga as exercise known as Ashtanga (vinyasa) yoga. In 1948, Jois established the Ashtanga Yo ...
.
Description
The pose is a balancing posture with the body, both legs, and both arms straight, the body on one side. The upper arm is raised as high as possible. The upper leg may be rested on the lower leg, or for the full pose (sometimes called Eka Pada Vasisthasana, One-legged Side Plank) may be raised as high as possible; the upper hand may grasp the foot (sometimes called Vasisthasana B), and the gaze may be directed to the upper hand.Variations
Chamatkarasana (from Sanskrit , miracle) or Wild Thing Pose keeps most of the body's weight on one foot and the hand on the same side, lifting the other elbow above the head, arm bend, and the other foot behind the knee, so the body faces the side and slightly upwards.See also
*Anantasana
Anantasana (; IAST: ), Sleeping Vishnu Pose or Vishnu's Couch Pose, Eternal One's Pose, or Side-Reclining Leg Lift is an asana in modern yoga as exercise.
Etymology and origins
The name comes from the Sanskrit words '' anantā'' () meaning "w ...
– a reclining side pose
* Chaturanga Dandasana
Chaturanga Dandasana (; ) or Four-Limbed Staff pose, also known as Low Plank, is an asana in modern yoga as exercise and in some forms of Surya Namaskar (Salute to the Sun), in which a straight body parallel to the ground is supported by the toes ...
– low plank pose
* Kala Bhairavasana – like Vasisthasana but with one leg behind the neck
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasisthasana Balancing asanas Core strength asanas Asymmetric asanas