Bound Side Angle Pose anatomy

Bound Side Angle Pose · Baddha Parsvakonasana · Tư thế góc nghiêng khóa tay

Bound Side Angle Pose mainly works quadriceps, gluteus maximus (right), sartorius (right), gluteus medius (left); it stretches adductors, external oblique (left), quadratus lumborum (left), infraspinatus; tibialis anterior (right), fibularis group (left), erector spinae stabilize.

Opening the 3D model…

Start from Extended Side Angle with the right foot forward: right knee bent at a right angle over the ankle, left leg straight, outer edge of the left foot pressing down. Lower the torso close to the inner right thigh and bring the right shoulder below the knee. Thread the right arm under the right thigh and around behind it; wrap the left arm behind the back and clasp the hands under or behind the right hip. Use the bind to draw the left shoulder back and turn the chest open toward the ceiling, gaze up or level. Both shoulders rotate inward and extend back, so the front of the shoulder and the chest of the top arm stretch and the external rotators of both shoulders lengthen; the front leg works hard to hold the bent knee while both inner thighs and the left side of the waist lengthen. If the hands don't meet, use a strap; with shoulder or knee pain skip the bind and rest the forearm on the thigh. In the 3D model the hands reach toward each other behind the front hip without quite clasping, as with a strap; keeping the chest open matters more than reaching the clasp.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Quadriceps, Gluteus maximus (right), Sartorius (right), Gluteus medius (left), External oblique (right), Internal oblique (left), Subscapularis, Rhomboid major (left)

Stretching: Adductors, External oblique (left), Quadratus lumborum (left), Infraspinatus, Teres minor, Pectoralis major (left), Deltoid (left), Biceps brachii (left)

Stabilizing: Tibialis anterior (right), Fibularis group (left), Erector spinae, Transversus abdominis

Why these muscles work or stretch

• Quadriceps · Working (contracting): Holds the front knee bent
• Gluteus maximus · Working (contracting): Turns the front hip out so the knee doesn't drop inward
• External oblique · Working (contracting): With the left internal oblique, turns the chest open toward the ceiling
• Subscapularis · Working (contracting): Turns the shoulder inward so the arm can wrap back and clasp the other hand
• Rhomboid major · Working (contracting): Draws the shoulder blade toward the spine to open the chest
• Adductors · Stretching: Both inner thighs stretch, the front one more as the torso lowers onto it
• External oblique · Stretching: Lengthens along the top side of the waist
• Infraspinatus · Stretching: The shoulder external rotators lengthen as the shoulder turns inward
• Pectoralis major · Stretching: The chest on the side of the arm behind the back stretches as the shoulder extends
• Deltoid · Stretching: The front fibers stretch as the shoulder extends back
• Biceps brachii · Stretching: The long head stretches as the shoulder extends back
• Fibularis group · Stabilizing: Presses the outer edge of the back foot down

Practice cues

• Keep the front knee over the ankle, tracking toward the second toe
• Bring the right shoulder below the front knee before wrapping the arm under the thigh
• Draw the left shoulder back and turn the chest up; don't let the torso collapse forward

Benefits

• Stretches the fronts of the shoulders, the chest and the shoulder external rotators
• Stretches the inner thighs, the groins and the side of the waist
• Strengthens the front leg, the glutes and the trunk

Cautions / contraindications

• Avoid with a shoulder or rotator cuff injury or a history of shoulder dislocation
• Take care with knee pain; keep the front knee from moving past the toes or falling inward
• Never yank the hands together; use a strap instead of forcing the shoulders

Easier variations

• Hold a strap between the hands if they don't meet
• Half bind: rest the right forearm on the thigh and wrap the left arm behind the back to the inner right thigh

General information, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or teacher.

Written and reviewed by Yoga An Viên center · Updated 24/10/2026

Related poses

• Bound Triangle Pose Baddha Trikonasana
• Extended Side Angle Pose Utthita Parsvakonasana
• Bound Half Moon Pose Baddha Ardha Chandrasana
• Bound Revolved Side Angle Pose Parivrtta Baddha Parsvakonasana
• Extended Triangle Pose Utthita Trikonasana
• Wide-Legged Forward Bend C (Hands Clasped) Prasarita Padottanasana C

A free community project by Yoga An Viên center · Model: Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0), based on BodyParts3D © DBCLS (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP)