Practicing Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose) can give you the same energized feeling. The pose teaches you how to ...Themostcommonstretchwhenwewakeinthemorningistoraisebotharmsupwardandoutward,takeadeepbreath,andyawn.Bothhumansandanimalsdoitwithfullabandon.Whatyouaredoinginstinctuallyisstretchingthesidesofyourbodytoinspireadeepandsatisfyingbreath.Itfeelsasthougheverycellofyourbodyjoinstogether,breathes,andsays,“YES!Iamawake!”PracticingUtthitaParsvakonasana(ExtendedSideAnglePose)cangiveyouthesameenergizedfeeling.Theposeteachesyouhowtostabilizeyourlegswhileyouopenandexpandthesidesofyourribcage,trainingthemusclesthatsupportgoodbreathing.Italsotonesthemusclesthatrunalongthesidesofyourbody,fromtheouterheeltotheouterhip,alongthetorso,anduptotheouterarm.Developingthisstrengthgivesyouthestructuralsupportyouneedtoliftandlengthenyourspine.Forthisreason,SideAnglePoseisafundamentalposetopracticeregularly.YouraiminSideAnglePoseistoengageyourmusclesfullytocreateasingleextensionfromtheouterheelofthestraightlegallthewaytothefingertipsofthearmoverhead.Therearethreestagestothepose.First,youestablishthefoundationinyourlegs.Thenyoufocusonstretchingthearmstoexpandthechest.Finally,asyoubringyourtoparmoveryourear,yourotatethebellyandchestupwhilemaintainingthebroadnessyoucreatedinthechest.Thewordutthita,toextend,describeshowyousetupthelegsandarmsinthispose.Iencouragestudentstopayasmuchattentiontowideningtheirstanceastheydotoextendingtheirarms.Stepyourlegswideapartandcheckthatyouranklesarebelowthewristsofyourextendedarms.Thenbeginbendingonelegtowarda90-degreeangle.Walkthefootofthestraightlegfartheroutuntilthethighofthebentlegcomesparalleltothefloor.(Checkthatyourkneeispointinginthesamedirectionasyourtoes.)Don’tstophalfway.Bendingthelegto90degreeshelpsdistributetheeffortequallybetweenbothlegsinsteadofmakingyourbentlegquadricepsmusclesdoallthework.(Ifyougetfatigued,comeoutofittorestandthentryagain.)Asyoubendoneleg,extendtheother,keepingyourkneefirm.Thesedualactionslengthenthei