Utthita Vasisthasana (sometimes shortened to Vasisthasana) (Sanskrit: उत्थित वसिष्ठासन utthita vasiṣṭhāsana) or Side Plank pose is a balancing

asana An asana 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 later extended in hatha yoga ...

in modern

yoga as exercise Yoga as exercise is a physical activity consisting mainly of postures, often connected by flowing sequences, sometimes accompanied by breathing exercises, and frequently ending with relaxation lying down or meditation. Yoga in this form has ...

Etymology and origins

The name of the pose comes from the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

उत्थित ''Utthita'' extended, वसिष्ठ

Vasiṣṭha Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha an ...

, a sage, and आसन āsana, "posture" or "seat". The pose is not described in the medieval

hatha yoga Haṭha yoga is a branch of yoga which uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel the vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word हठ ''haṭha'' literally means "force", alluding to a system of physical techniques. Some haṭha ...

texts. It appears in the 20th century in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga of

Pattabhi Jois K. Pattabhi Jois (26 July 1915 – 18 May 2009) was an Indian yoga guru who developed and popularized the flowing style of yoga as exercise known as Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. In 1948, Jois established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mys ...

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

Camatkarasana (from Sanskrit चमत्कार ''camatkār'', 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. File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg, Vasisthasana B, with toe grip File:Camatkarasana.jpg, Camatkarasana, Wild Thing Pose, a modern posture between Vasisthasana and Upward-Facing Bow Pose File:Eyal Shifroni in Vasisthasana with props.jpg, Vasisthasana using props

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasisthasana Balancing asanas Core strength asanas Asymmetric asanas

Etymology and origins

Description

Variations

See also

References