Ultimate Guide How to Gate Pose (Parighasana) + Anatomy Break Down

Beginner YogaYogaYoga Pose
October 18, 2022

Wanna know why gate pose should be in your daily movement?

Because it’s a sweet side bend that stretches all the right places, and you can get a glute burn to set a spicy fire in the bottom 🍑. Did you know Gate pose (parighasana) has so many options? (I’ll get to the details below)

It’s seemingly unassuming, but it can be used as a stretch or added to a workout. But, gate pose lives an unfortunately unexceptional life.

Why? 

Not sure.

On the plus side, this means the pose is easily accessible. And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll be honest I’ve never received a request for gate pose, and I’ve never requested it myself, but I do know how to make the most of this pose. Do you want to know how too?

Watch the video for some key variations and read on for even more, and find the one that either lights your fire or gets you afloat on cloud 9. 

Gate Pose 101 (Parighasana): How to Set It Up

Gate pose has a few contraindications. If you’ve had a knee replacement or bursitis, make sure you pad your knees. If you’re otherwise healthy here’s what it should look like:

The Legs

Important Notes

The Upper Body

Important Notes

Supported Leg Side Arm

Important Notes

Extended Leg Side Arm

Important Notes

Gaze

Key things to look for in Gate Pose

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Let’s Get Into It: How to Move In and Out of Gate Pose

There are a few different ways to get into Gate pose, but the easiest and simplest way is to start on all 4s (quadruped or tabletop).

  1. Start in tabletop
  2. Kneel upright so your hips are stacked over your knees, and your shoulders are stacked over your hips
  3. Place hands on the hips
  4. Extend one leg out to the side
  5. Inhale reach the supporting leg side out to the side and up as you lean towards the extended leg
  6. Keep the torso over the leg and think about rolling the sternum up towards the ceiling to help keep the body in the same plane as the legs.

To come out of the pose, reverse the steps above.

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Gate Pose Variations: Spicy and Sweet, and all things between

Below are a few variations. Many of them might make the pose 10% more comfortable, and some of them make the pose 110% more uncomfortable 😅.

Gaze

Reason: Your neck isn’t happy when you look up.

Options: 

Propped on a Blanket

Reason: You have bursitis, have had knee surgery, or have sensitive knees.

How to do it: 

Propped on a Block

Reason: When you bend laterally you want to place your hand on something other than your body.

How to do it: 

Propped with the Wall

Reason: You want stability or alignment feedback

How to do it: 

Arm Variations for the extended leg side

Reason: Your arm or shoulder hurts, has been injured, has a decreased range of motion (ROM), or you want to enhance your bend.

Options: 

Arm Variations for the supporting leg side

Reason: Your arm or shoulder hurts, has been injured, or you want to work harder

Options: 

Foot Variations for the supporting leg side

Reason: You have limited mobility of the foot or ankle. You want an added stretch to the lower leg and foot.

Options: 

Foot Variations for the extended leg side

Reason: You have limited mobility of the foot, ankle, or knee. You want added stability or to try something different.

Options: 

Leg Variations for the extended leg side

These variations are tricky! You may want to do this facing the wall, or holding on to a chair in front of you. If you’ve got incredible balance on your shins you can go for it without any support 🙌

Reason: You want an added workout

Options: 

Am I doing this right? What you should feel in Gate Pose

Gate pose hits a lot of areas in the body, so it could be hard to determine if you feel that sweet sensation in all the right spots, or if you are stuck in a bland version of something similar. Depending on your anatomy you may not feel some of the points below, and that is ok too.

Lower Body:
Trunk of the Body:
Upper Body:
Gaze

Let’s Nerd Out: The Anatomical breakdown of Gate Pose

Want some nerdy information? Well, you can get it right here!

Muscles Worked
Muscles Stretched

Well, there you go. Hopefully, you saw beyond the mediocrities of gate pose. And perhaps you found a new way to sweeten your side bend or spice up your glute workout. Sign up for my newsletter and discover more ways to enhance your practice on and off the mat.

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