Based on the English name, you might think that the chair pose in yoga is as easy as sitting lanugo in your favorite recliner. This pose (utkatasana in Sanskrit) mimics the position of sitting in a chair, but since the chair is missing, you have to rely on the strength of your lower soul to alimony from falling to the ground.
In fact, the Sanskrit word “utkata” has a lot of meanings, including fierce, powerful, and awkward. (The word-for-word translation of utkatasana is unquestionably “powerful pose.”) And when washed-up correctly, utkatasana chair pose is all of those things combined, expressly if it’s held for multiple breaths.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana): Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to do utkatasana with proper form, so you can get all of the benefits from it and progress in your yoga practice.
Set up
- Stand in mountain pose (tadasana), so your toes are together and your heels are slightly separated.
Getting into the pose
- On an inhale, raise your stovepipe whilom your throne next to your ears so that your palms are facing one another. Then wrench your knees to lower your hips lanugo and back, like you are sitting in a child-sized chair.
Alignment
- Keep your stovepipe extended with your shoulders printing lanugo and biceps by your ears. Alimony your chin slightly tucked and your chest lifted to maintain a straight line through your spine.
- Bend your knees tightly so that your thighs are parallel to the mat. Put your weight when into your heels, so that you could lift all 10 toes.
Posture Tips for Chair Pose
- If you have tight shoulders or lats, extending the stovepipe can be difficult. Just reach your stovepipe up as far as is possible.
- If you glance down, you should be worldly-wise to see your toes in chair pose. If you can’t, waddle your weight when into your heels.
- Pull your vitals sawed-off into your spine, which will help take the lines out of your lower back.
How to Make Chair Pose Easier
- Start out with a wider stance (about hip width) and don’t wrench your knees as much.
- If reaching your stovepipe overhead is difficult, you can unchangingly reach straight out in front of you, or bring your hands together in a prayer position (Anjali Mudra) at your chest.
How to Make Chair Pose Harder
- Add an upper soul twist for revolved chair pose (parivrtta utkatasana).
- Bend your knees more, so you sit deeper into the pose.
- As you reach your stovepipe up slantingly your ears, touch your palms together and gaze up to the sky as you lift your chest.
- Hold the pose for multiple breaths.
Chair Pose Benefits
- Strengthens your calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip flexors, and core.
- Challenges your wastefulness and stability.
- Helps increase the range of motion of your shoulder and upper when muscles.
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