Fallen Triangle Pose, Patita Tarasana, (pa-ti-ta-ta-ra-suh-nuh)
patita (fallen) + tar (star) + asana (pose)
Also Known as: Fallen Star Pose, Rockstar Pose
Pose Type: Balancing, Strengthening, Stretching
Difficulty: Intermediate
Need a creative boost and want to add some playtime to your yoga mat? Here’s a great pose for you.
Fallen Triangle Pose Fundamentals
You won’t see Fallen Triangle often in yoga classes – and that’s exactly what makes this pose extra fun. Also known as Fallen Star, this asana combines Triangle Pose with Side Plank to create a fun shape.
Fallen Triangle Pose is challenging, but not so much that beginners can’t attempt it. It’s a great pose to test your balance, strength, and stability.
We love this asana because it activates the whole body, and strengthens and stretches it simultaneously. It also boosts your energy and increases creativity – what’s not to love?
This funky pose is perfect for Vinyasa sequences when you want to add playful energy to your class. It can be a great warm-up pose for arm balancing as it builds upper body strength and works on your balance.
Energetically, this asana mainly activates the first-root chakra which sits at the base of your spine. Keeping this chakra balanced makes sure you feel grounded, stable, safe, and calm. This is a prerequisite for any deeper spiritual or energetic work.Fallen Triangle Pose Benefits
- Strengthens the arms, shoulders, glutes, and core.
- Opens and stretches the hamstrings, chest, and hips.
- Strengthens the neck muscles. If practiced continuously, this can help you combat bad posture and neck pain.
- Great preparatory pose for deeper backbends and for arm balances.
- Boosts creativity and energy.
How To Do Fallen Triangle Pose: Step-By-Step
How To Get There:
- Start in Three Legged Downward Facing Dog.
- Tuck the knee of the lifted leg to your chest and then move it under the torso and towards the opposite hand. Straighten this leg and shift your weight towards the hand.
- Lift the other arm towards the sky. Simultaneously lift your chest and hips higher up.
- Keep the grounded arm straight and spread your legs as wide apart as you can.
- Hold for 5 breaths. Release back to Downward Facing Dog, then repeat on the other side.
Tips And Tricks:
- If you can’t bend the lifted knee all the way to the front elbow, simply stop when you reach your limit and then extend it to the side.
- Do this pose at a later portion of your practice – make sure you’ve already done some core work and have already warmed up the wrists.
- Firmly press down into the bottom hand and foot to get the lift in this pose – this is where you get most of your strength.
- Keep the neck long and neutral. You can gaze up, down, or straight – do what feels best for you.
- Breathe slowly and consciously to feel more grounded, but also to allow your body to open more.
- Distribute your weight evenly throughout both feet and the grounded hand. Also, engage your buttocks and lift the hips up to move some weight to the glutes.
Fallen Triangle Pose Variation:
Fallen Triangle Pose Variation: Leg Lifts
This is a playful and dynamic variation of the pose. Instead of just holding the pose, lift the leg that you’ve threaded under the body 10 or 15 times. Then return to Downward Dog and repeat the same practice on the other side.
You can stop there or choose to enter the static version of the pose after the Leg Lifts.
Fallen Triangle Pose Variation: Simplified Variations
There are a couple of ways in which you can simplify the Fallen Triangle Pose, so you can get a feel for it, even if it’s too difficult.
You can rest your hips on the mat or a block instead of lifting them off the ground. In this way, you can only focus on the shape of the legs and minimize the strength work.
Alternatively, you can only slide the leg through, keep the hips up, but keep both hands on the ground. This way, you’ll do some strength work, but not as much as you would with the other arm up.
Finally, you can drop the knee of the bottom leg on the floor to use the shin as a kickstand. This can be your final variation before you try the full expression of the pose.
Fallen Triangle Pose Variation: Side Plank
For many beginner students, being on one hand will be challenging enough. Instead of jumping right into Fallen Triangle Pose, practice your arm strength and alignment in Side Plank.
Start in High Plank, then move your heels to one side. You can step the top foot in front of the bottom foot, and place the top hand onto the hip.
Push strongly into the mat with the bottom hand and foot and lift the hips up. Stay here, or extend the top arm and top leg towards the sky.
Precautions & Contraindications:
Common misalignments
Sinking into the shoulder. Often students will sink into the shoulder of the bottom arm. Avoid this by pushing the hand firmly into the ground and actively lifting the body through the shoulder.
Dropping the neck. Beginners will often just let the head drop back in every back bend. However, you want the bend to happen in the upper and mid back, and not the neck. Instead, keep the neck neutral – in line with the rest of the spine. This takes more effort but will strengthen your neck and improve your posture over time.
Injuries
Avoid this asana if you have an injury in the shoulders and wrists. Also avoid with conditions in these areas, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Related Poses
Preparatory Poses:
Three-Legged Downward Facing Dog Pose
Counter Poses:
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