This pose looks so simple, bold, and fierce, but it's not exactly the easiest pose. You need strong legs, open shoulders, and a flexible spine in order to feel confident in Bound Side Angle, and here's a 13-pose sequence designed to do just that. You'll not only be closer to mastering this pose, but your butt and thighs will become stronger and more toned.

Tipover Tuck

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Interlace your fingers behind you, pressing the heels of the palms together in a double fist. Actively pull your hands away from your shoulders to increase the stretch in your chest.
• Take a breath in and as you exhale, lean your chest forward and lift your hands up overhead as you fold your torso toward your thighs. Lengthen through the spine by reaching the top of your head toward the floor.
• Lean your weight into the toes. After five breaths, actively press into your feet, engage your thighs, and slowly lift your torso back up to a standing position.

Wide Squat

• Widen your stance slightly, bend your knees, and lower your hips toward the ground. If your heels don't touch the floor, roll up a towel or the back of your mat and place it under your heels for support.
• Bring your palms together and shift weight into your heels, lengthening the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
• Stay here for five deep breaths.

Half-Bound Squat Prep

• From Wide Squat, bring your right arm between your knees, placing your right palm flat on the floor. Lower your right shoulder as far as you can underneath your right shin, reaching your fingers out to the side.
• Put some weight into your right palm, so you can shift weight back into your heels and balance equally on both feet.
• Reach your left arm into the air, gazing toward your lifted hand to encourage your spine to twist a little more.
• Stay like this for five deep breaths.

Half-Bound Squat

• From Half-Bound Squat Prep, bring your right hand up toward your lower back, hugging your armpit around that right knee.
• Lower your left arm around the lower back, trying to touch the fingers together. If they're close enough, hold your left wrist with your right hand, with the left palm facing behind you.
• Stay here for five deep breaths.

Lizard

• From Half-Bound Squat, lower your hands to the floor and step your left foot back in a low lunge, keeping the knee lifted off the mat.
• Stay on the hands, or to deepen the stretch, release your elbows to the floor.
• Continue to squeeze your right knee toward your body, pressing the back heel away from you. Keep your gaze in front of you to encourage your hips to open.
• Enjoy this pose for five breaths.

Open Lunge

• From Lizard, lower your back knee to the mat and plant your left palm on the floor unerneath your shoulder.
• Raise your right arm into the air and reach it behind you to open the chest and shoulders.
• Hold here for five breaths.

Extended Side Angle Prep

• From Open Lunge, plant your right hand on the little-toe side of your right foot and extend your left arm behind you to open the chest in the other direction.
• Breath deeply for five breaths.

Straight Arm Side Angle

• From Extended Side Angle Prep, bring the right hand in front of your right foot.
• Raise the left knee off the floor and extend your left hand straight into the air.
• Gaze at your upper hand, keeping the body strong for five breaths.

Extended Side Angle

• From Straight Arm Side Angle, deepen the stretch on the left side of the body even more by extending your left arm over your ear, creating a straight line between the left toes and left fingertips.
• Hold here for five breaths.

Twisting Side Angle

• From Extended Side Angle, raise the torso enough so you can rest your right forearm on your right thigh.
• Place your left hand on your left hip or wrap it around your lower back to bind on the top of your right thigh.
• Gaze over your left shoulder, enjoying this twist for five deep breaths.

Half-Bound Side Angle

• From Twisting Side Angle, lower the right hand to the floor in front of yoru right foot, continuing to open the chest and hips.
• Keep your gaze lifted as you stay here for five breaths.

Bound Extended Side Angle Prep

• From Half-Bound Side Angle, lower your bottom knee for stability.
• Drop your right shoulder as much as you can in order to take your right elbow underneath your right thigh.
• If you can, touch your fingertips together. If your hands are close enough, the right hand holds the left wrist.
• Stay here for five breaths.

Bound Side Angle

• From Bound Extended Side Angle Prep, just raise your left knee off the floor.
• Try to stack the shoulders over that right thigh, keeping your right knee directly over your ankle.
• After five breaths, release the hands to the floor.
• Step your right foot back and work your way back to Down Dog.
• Hop your feet forward and repeat this sequence again on the other side.