Pose Name Sanskrit Name Level Targets
Gate pose Parighasana Beginner Stretches the sides of the torso and spine

What is Gate pose?

The name of gate pose is from its Sanskrit name (Parighāsana). The meaning is gate or crossbar, and āsana means pose. This asana is well-known after the 20th century. Since, as yoga scholar Mark Singleton writes, it closely resembles a pose used in modern gymnastics, such as Niels Bukh's 1924 Primary Gymnastics, it is likely that Krishnamacharya derived the asana from the general gymnastics culture of his time. You can stay at this pose from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

How to do Gate Pose

Gate Pose
1

Step 1

Kneel on the floor. Stretch your right leg out to the right side and press your right foot to the floor, or put a sandbag under your right foot if you can’t reach it to the floor.

Gate_Pose
2

Step 2

Keep your left knee directly below your left hip (so the left thigh is perpendicular to the floor), and align your right heel with the left knee. Turn your pelvis slightly to the right, but turn your upper torso back to the left. Point the kneecap toward the ceiling, which will require you to turn your right leg out. With a deep breath, bring your arms out to your sides, parallel to the floor, palms towards the floor.

Gate_Pose
3

Final Step

Put your right hand on the right shin, ankle, or the floor outside the right leg. Take your torso to the right side and stretch the left side of your torso. Put your left hand over your head and stretch it.

Come out from the pose: Come up as you inhale, reaching through the top arm to draw the torso upright. Bring the right knee back beside the left, and do the pose on your left side.
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Contraindications and Precautions
Avoid this pose if have serious knee injury
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You can perform the pose by sitting on a chair.
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Benefits:
Stretches the sides of the torso and spine.
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Stretches the hamstrings.
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Opens the shoulders.
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Stimulates abdominal organs and lungs.
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Tips for beginners:

There are two options for beginners: The first one is raise the ball of the foot on a Gate Pose sandbag or thickly folded blanket, the second one is work against a wall, with the ball of the foot pressed against the wall.

Partner Assistance:

Your partner should stand facing your straight-leg side; in this example, we’ll use the right leg. Raise your right arm out to the side, parallel to the floor. Your partner should grasp your wrist and, at the same time, press his/ her toes into your right groin. As you tip to the side, your partner should pull on the wrist and push on the groin. When you reach your maximum stretch, your partner can go. Then you can the full pose.

Full Pose:

Full gate pose is a deep side bend. Lean to the side over the straight leg. Lower the underside of the torso as close as possible to the top of the straight leg. Press the back of the lower hand on the top of the foot, then sweep the top arm over the back of the ear and join the palms.

Preparatory Poses:
pose Name sunskrit
Child-pose-icone Downward-facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Svanasana
Child-pose-icone Bound Angle Pose Baddha Konasana
Child-pose-icone Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose Prasarita Padottanasana
Child-pose-icone Reclined Big Toe Pose Supta Padangusthasana
Child-pose-icone wide-angle seated forward bend Pose Upavistha Konasana
Child-pose-icone Extended Side Angle Pose Utthita Parsvakonasana
Child-pose-icone Extended Triangle Pose Utthita Trikonasana
Child-pose-icone Hero Pose Virasana
Follow-up Poses:
pose Name sunskrit
Child-pose-icone Standing Poses Sthitaan Asanas