Based mostly on the English identify, you may assume that the chair pose in yoga is as simple as sitting down in your favourite recliner. This pose (utkatasana in Sanskrit) mimics the place of sitting in a chair, however because the chair is lacking, it’s a must to depend on the power of your decrease physique to maintain from falling to the bottom.
The truth is, the Sanskrit phrase “utkata” has plenty of meanings, together with fierce, highly effective, and awkward. (The precise translation of utkatasana is definitely “highly effective pose.”) And when carried out appropriately, utkatasana chair pose is all of these issues mixed, particularly if it’s held for a number of breaths.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana): Step-by-Step Directions
Right here’s do utkatasana with correct kind, so you may get all the advantages from it and progress in your yoga apply.
Arrange
- Stand in mountain pose (tadasana), so your toes are collectively and your heels are barely separated.
Entering into the pose
- On an inhale, increase your arms above your head subsequent to your ears in order that your palms are going through each other. Then bend your knees to decrease your hips down and again, like you’re sitting in a child-sized chair.
Alignment
- Preserve your arms prolonged together with your shoulders press down and biceps by your ears. Preserve your chin barely tucked and your chest lifted to keep up a straight line by way of your backbone.
- Bend your knees deeply in order that your thighs are parallel to the mat. Put your weight again into your heels, in order that you may carry all 10 toes.
Posture Ideas for Chair Pose
- When you’ve got tight shoulders or lats, extending the arms could be tough. Simply attain your arms up so far as is feasible.
- For those who look down, you must be capable to see your toes in chair pose. For those who can’t, rock your weight again into your heels.
- Pull your stomach button into your backbone, which is able to assist take the curve out of your decrease again.
The best way to Make Chair Pose Simpler
- Begin out with a wider stance (about hip width) and don’t bend your knees as a lot.
- If reaching your arms overhead is tough, you possibly can all the time attain straight out in entrance of you, or convey your arms collectively in a prayer place (Anjali Mudra) at your chest.
The best way to Make Chair Pose More durable
- Add an higher physique twist for revolved chair pose (parivrtta utkatasana).
- Bend your knees extra, so that you sit deeper into the pose.
- As you attain your arms up alongside your ears, contact your palms collectively and gaze as much as the sky as you carry your chest.
- Maintain the pose for a number of breaths.
Chair Pose Advantages
- Strengthens your calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip flexors, and core.
- Challenges your steadiness and stability.
- Helps enhance the vary of movement of your shoulder and higher again muscle mass.
