How to Do Parsva Urdhva Hastasana | Upward Salute Side Bend Pose

We absolutely love this pose because it feels like a giant morning stretch for your entire body! Parsva Urdhva Hastasana is all about finding length and then adding a delicious, gentle twist to help you feel more open and energised. It’s one of those poses that meets you exactly where you are, whether you’re looking to wake up your spine or just find a moment of calm in your day.

This pose focuses on stretching the side body, opening the chest, and giving your spine a lovely bit of attention. It’s a beautiful way to connect with your breath while you explore your range of motion. If you’ve been sitting at a desk or feeling a bit tight, this is going to feel like magic for your posture.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to feel into this pose with ease, including some of our favourite ways to use props to make it feel just right for your body.

How To Do Parsva Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute Side Bend Pose)

Find your foundation
Start by standing tall at the top of your mat with your feet about hip-width apart. Take a big breath in and feel your feet grounding into the earth, lengthening your spine and letting your shoulders melt away from your ears.

Reach for the sky
As you inhale, reach your arms up overhead, keeping them parallel with your palms facing each other. Imagine your fingertips reaching for the sky, feeling that lovely length growing all the way from your heels to your hands.

Twist and flow
On your next exhale, slowly twist your torso to the right, letting your gaze follow over your right shoulder. At the same time, lift your left heel so you’re balancing on the ball of that foot—this helps keep your hips happy and your legs engaged.

Breathe and expand
With every inhale, think about growing a little taller through your spine. As you exhale, see if you can feel into the twist a little deeper, keeping your energy moving right through to your fingertips.

Hold and explore
Stay here for 3-5 breaths, enjoying that sense of openness. If you’re looking for a more restorative feel, you can even practise this with your back against a wall for extra support, or stay for a longer hold to turn it into a “Yin Yoga” style release.

Release and reset
When you’re ready, slowly unwind back to the centre as you exhale and lower your arms. Take a moment to notice how you feel before moving through the same steps on the left side to keep things balanced.

The Benefits of Parsva Urdhva Hastasana (and Yoga in General)

Physically, this pose is a total treat for your spine and side body. By gently twisting and lengthening, you’re helping to increase the mobility of your vertebrae and keep your spine feeling supple and healthy. It’s also a wonderful way to wake up your digestive system—think of it like a gentle internal massage that helps everything move along smoothly. Plus, by opening up the chest and rib cage, you’re creating more space for your lungs to expand, which naturally encourages deeper, more nourishing breaths.

Beyond the physical stretch, this pose is a beautiful tool for your nervous system. The combination of a gentle twist and focused breathing helps to signal to your brain that it’s okay to relax, making it a great go-to when you’re feeling a bit frazzled or stuck. It’s about clearing out the cobwebs and inviting in a fresh flow of energy. This is what we love about Yoga — it’s not just about becoming more flexible or strong. It’s about creating space within yourself to breathe, move, and feel a little more like ‘you’ again.

Explore More Yoga Poses

If you enjoyed this pose, you might also love:

• How to Do Tadasana Pose | Mountain Pose
• How to Do Virabhadrasana III Pose | Warrior 3 Pose
• How to Do Adho Mukha Vrksasana Pose | Handstand

Curious About Yoga Teacher Training?

This pose is one of 108 you’ll explore in our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training — along with yoga philosophy, breathwork, meditation, anatomy, and the confidence to teach.

You don’t need to be the most flexible person in the room. You don’t need to have been practising for years. You just need to be curious and willing to begin. Whether you want to teach professionally, deepen your personal practice, or simply discover more about yourself — this training meets you where you are.

Learn more about Yoga Teacher Training →

Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla