How to perform Side Plank Pose I
Start in Plank Pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana. Shift your weight onto one side, rotate onto the outside of your supporting foot, and tilt your body sideways to form a diagonal line. Lengthen through the crown of your head and raise your arm up if possible.
What is Vasisthasana I?
This is the first variation of Vasisthasana or Side Plank Pose. It is an asymmetrical posture, aimed at strengthening your wrists, arms, and shoulders. Moreover, it is known to improve your sense of balance and increase your endurance.
As you hold in this posture, your weight is supported solely by your foot and hand. If this proves to be too strenuous, you can place the upper foot onto the floor in front of you. You can also place the knee of your supporting leg onto the floor. This will make balancing easier and will take a considerable amount of strain off your wrist. Go at your own pace: beginner students tend to have weaker and more fragile wrists, and strength needs to be accumulated gradually to prevent serious injuries.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your hips shouldn’t sink down towards the floor. Activate your glutes and lift your hips up. This will add to the effectiveness of the pose. If you want to increase the degree of extension and make this pose slightly more challenging, you can also lift your upper arm over your head.
When to use Vasisthasana I?
As an asymmetrical posture, Vasisthasana is meant to be repeated on both sides. This will help you understand which side of your body is stronger and more resilient and which one needs to be strengthened further.
It is typically paired with such poses as Phalankasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana and is used during an intense arm-strengthening sequence. Being quite advanced, this pose requires due preparation. Start by working on the strength and mobility in your wrist joints through performing exercises containing Paschima Namaskar or by trying out different variations of Half Uttanasana.
