Vasisthasana

Translation: Vasisthasana means "the most excellent stage"

English Name: Side Plank

Type of pose: Arm Balance

Instructions Full Posture:
1. Start in Plank Pose
2. From Plank Pose, shift your weight onto your right arm as you roll onto the outside of your right foot
3. Keeping the both feet flexed, stack the left foot on top of the right, keeping your legs very straight
3. Bring the left arm up to the ceiling and the gaze to the left fingertips
5. Make sure to lift your core up towards the ceiling and keep your muscles hugging in to the bone
6. After several breaths, roll back the center and do the other side, resting in Downward Facing Dog between the two sides
Muscles Involved: This posture requires leg strength, arm strength, and core strength. The strength starts from your legs because that is your foundation. You need arm strength in order to hold your body up and stay balanced. You need core strength in order to do the posture correctly and lift your core towards the ceiling.

Benefits:
• Stretching of arms, legs and shoulders
• Sense of balance is improved
• Wrists are strengthened
• Tones up the whole body
• Builds focus and concentration
• When practiced regularly it enhances the stamina, determination, and will power
• It provides exercise to the legs and tones up the lower back.
• Strengthens the abdomen 

Awareness:
In this asana, I feel strong and firm. I also feel balanced and focused. In order to do this posture correctly and stay balanced, you really have to focus on your core and keeping everything hugging in. If you don't focus on your core and your legs, there is no way that you can stay balanced in this position. I feel comfortable in this posture, compared to a lot of the others. This is one posture that I do for training already. It is a variation of the front plank, so I am used to doing it already and therefore I am pretty good at it.