February 2026
Gate Pose
Parighasana
From our teaching team · Jen Villegas
Gate Pose (Parighasana) is a powerful side-body opener that asks for both stability and spaciousness. Think: strong foundation, open channel. (Parigha = bar, gate, bolt.)
Practice safely
These guides are for general education and are not medical advice or a substitute for in-person instruction. Yoga is physical, and every body is different: practice at your own risk, move within your own limits, and stop if something hurts. Talk with your physician before starting any new physical practice, especially if you are pregnant, injured, or managing a health condition. The safest place to learn any of these poses is in the room with a teacher who can see you, and our teachers adjust for every level in every class.
Teaching highlights
- Opens side body, intercostals, hips, groins
- Encourages lateral flexion of the spine
- Supports lung capacity and breath awareness
- Great for exploring asymmetry and balance between effort + ease
Cues to consider
- Ground through your kneeling leg.
- Press your shin / top of your foot down toward the mat.
- Lift your top hip upward.
- Try lengthening both sides of your body while in the side bend.
- Feel your breath moving through the opening you've created in your ribs — this pose loves breath.
Variations / options
- Block under the bottom hand for support.
- Bent elbow or hand to hip for students with shoulder sensitivity.
- Forearm to thigh instead of reaching to the floor.
- Can be incorporated into a flow/vinyasa or held for longer, slower breaths.
- In our studio we typically practice Gate with one leg bent and the other extended (some images show both knees bent) — neither is more correct; try teaching to both variations.
- This is an invitation, not a prescription. Teach what you know, stay curious, and don't force the gate open.
The best way to learn it is in the room.
Our teachers break down poses like this in every class, at every level. First class is $8.
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