One of the Most Common Yoga Poses Is Also One of the Easiest To Mess Up

In yoga, it's often the simplest-seeming poses that are the easiest to mess up. If your alignment is off, it screws with the entire functionality of the move. And what's worse, it puts you at the risk of getting hurt. One such offender? Triangle pose, which might look like a no-brainer way to stretch your legs and wring out your hips, but can get wonky real quick if your form is out of whack.

But don't worry—we've got you. In the latest episode of Well+Good's The Right Way, yoga pro Andrea Russell reveals the three biggest mistakes she sees her students making when they transition into the move, and demonstrates how to do a triangle pose properly. The major offenders that could be getting in the way of a flawless flow form? Pointing your feet in the wrong direction, placing your hand either too far up or down your leg, or bending your arm backward at a not-so-nice angle.

The key to success, she says, is thinking about creating multiple triangles with your bodies, and lengthening your muscles to make it happen. This means pointing your front toes forward, twisting your bottom hand outside of your ankle, and reaching your top hand up. Keep your chest in line with your hips, creating a straight line from fingertip to fingertip. To see how it's done, watch Russell's step-by-step guide on how to do a triangle pose, so you can wring those hips out the right way every time you step onto the mat.

Simplify your routine with the easiest backbend on the yoga roster, and this 12-minute butt sculpting flow (also care of Russell!) puts your usual squat routine to shame.