Vasisthasana is an arm balancing pose named after the celebrated sage Vasistha. The English name is Side Plank Pose.
Below is a picture of the classic pose.
Let’s break the pose down and look at it’s parts.
First, let’s look at the arms. This upright version of the pose is good for learning the rotation of the arms. When the sides of the trunk are lifted and the upper arms are turned, the shoulder baldes can get tucked in onto the back ribs. This stabilizes the scapula and creates the solidity in the shoulder girdle to balance.
I’ve seen this kneeling pose taught as a beginner’s version of Side Plank, but I am not a big fan. By dropping the knee down to the floor, you lose the toning of the oblique muscles. And, if you look at the pose, it really looks more like a kneeling variation of Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)
The variation I like for Vasisthasana if you feel like you don’t have the strength or balance is to bend the top leg. This verson strengthens the oblique muscles while giving you extra support. It is quite easy to step the top leg back and stack it on the bottom leg when you are ready.
One thing I’d like you to see is that the outer ankle on the bottom leg is lifted up and away from the floor.
If you have shoulder problems, it is nice to practice this with the back against the wall to give you support and the feel of keeping the body in a straight line. Another variation is to do the pose on your forearm.
