Chair pose — or Utkatasana (OOT-kat-AAS-ana )
Chair pose — or Utkatasana (OOT-kat-AAS-ana ) in Sanskrit — is a challenging leg-strengthening posture that provides an intense workout for the lower body, particularly the thighs. Utkatasana is a great pose to do after completing other standing postures, in preparation for seated and reclined postures. It gets its name from the Sanskrit words, utkat, meaning intense or powerful, and asana, meaning pose. Other names for chair pose include awkward pose, thunderbolt pose, fierce pose, and powerful pose.
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Step-by-step instructions
- Stand up straight with your feet together or hip-width apart and parallel to each other on the yoga mat.
- Reach your arms straight out in front of you with your palms face down, or you can bring your hands together over your head with arms straight. Your shoulder blades should be drawn back and down.
- Bend your knees deeply, and sink your pelvis toward the ground as though you are sitting down in an imaginary chair.
- Make sure that your knees are in line with your ankles and toes, with the weight of your body on your heels.
- Do your best to remain as comfortable and calm as possible while maintaining the posture. A burning sensation in your quadriceps is normal.
- Inhale deeply to lengthen the spine, and sink your tailbone further down on every exhale.
- Hold the posture for 30 to 60 seconds.
- To come out of the posture, stand up straight, or sit all the way down on the mat.
Tip from a Sri Sri Yoga expert: Smile throughout the entire practice of this yoga posture! It will help you hold the pose for longer. This standing pose will help you cultivate happiness in challenging situations.
Benefits of this standing yoga posture
- Lengthens the spine and opens the chest
- Strengthens the hips, thigh muscles, and abdominal muscles, as well as all of the joints in the lower body
- Stimulates the diaphragm, heart, and abdominal organs
- Tones the back muscles and other muscles along the torso, including core muscles
- Balances the body, and brings determination and willpower to the mind
Chair pose precautions
Use chair pose to cultivate happiness and resilience in difficult situations, and strengthen, tone, and balance the muscles in your entire body!
Chair pose — or Utkatasana (OOT-kat-AAS-ana ) in Sanskrit — is a challenging leg-strengthening posture that provides an intense workout for the lower body, particularly the thighs. Utkatasana is a great pose to do after completing other standing postures, in preparation for seated and reclined postures. It gets its name from the Sanskrit words, utkat, meaning intense or powerful, and asana, meaning pose.
Other names for chair pose include awkward pose, thunderbolt pose, fierce pose, and powerful pose.
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Step-by-step instructions
- Stand up straight with your feet together or hip-width apart and parallel to each other on the yoga mat.
- Reach your arms straight out in front of you with your palms face down, or you can bring your hands together over your head with arms straight. Your shoulder blades should be drawn back and down.
- Bend your knees deeply, and sink your pelvis toward the ground as though you are sitting down in an imaginary chair.
- Make sure that your knees are in line with your ankles and toes, with the weight of your body on your heels.
- Do your best to remain as comfortable and calm as possible while maintaining the posture. A burning sensation in your quadriceps is normal.
- Inhale deeply to lengthen the spine, and sink your tailbone further down on every exhale.
- Hold the posture for 30 to 60 seconds.
- To come out of the posture, stand up straight, or sit all the way down on the mat.
Tip from a Sri Sri Yoga expert: Smile throughout the entire practice of this yoga posture! It will help you hold the pose for longer. This standing pose will help you cultivate happiness in challenging situations.
Benefits of this standing yoga posture
- Lengthens the spine and opens the chest
- Strengthens the hips, thigh muscles, and abdominal muscles, as well as all of the joints in the lower body
- Stimulates the diaphragm, heart, and abdominal organs
- Tones the back muscles and other muscles along the torso, including core muscles
- Balances the body, and brings determination and willpower to the mind
Chair pose precautions
If you have any of the following conditions, please avoid doing chair pose until the condition has improved or you are given approval by your healthcare provider.
- Chronic knee pain or arthritis of the knee
- Sprained ankle
- Knee ligament damage
- Shoulder injury
- Low blood pressure
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Lower back pain
- Menstruation
Modifications and variations
To Increase the challenge, lower your hips as near to the ground as possible while maintaining most of your body weight on your heels.
Preparatory poses and follow-up poses
Use chair pose to cultivate happiness and resilience in difficult situations, and strengthen, tone, and balance the muscles in your entire body!
Chair pose — or Utkatasana (OOT-kat-AAS-ana ) in Sanskrit — is a challenging leg-strengthening posture that provides an intense workout for the lower body, particularly the thighs. Utkatasana is a great pose to do after completing other standing postures, in preparation for seated and reclined postures. It gets its name from the Sanskrit words, utkat, meaning intense or powerful, and asana, meaning pose.
Other names for chair pose include awkward pose, thunderbolt pose, fierce pose, and powerful pose.
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Step-by-step instructions
- Stand up straight with your feet together or hip-width apart and parallel to each other on the yoga mat.
- Reach your arms straight out in front of you with your palms face down, or you can bring your hands together over your head with arms straight. Your shoulder blades should be drawn back and down.
- Bend your knees deeply, and sink your pelvis toward the ground as though you are sitting down in an imaginary chair.
- Make sure that your knees are in line with your ankles and toes, with the weight of your body on your heels.
- Do your best to remain as comfortable and calm as possible while maintaining the posture. A burning sensation in your quadriceps is normal.
- Inhale deeply to lengthen the spine, and sink your tailbone further down on every exhale.
- Hold the posture for 30 to 60 seconds.
- To come out of the posture, stand up straight, or sit all the way down on the mat.
Tip from a Sri Sri Yoga expert: Smile throughout the entire practice of this yoga posture! It will help you hold the pose for longer. This standing pose will help you cultivate happiness in challenging situations
Benefits of this standing yoga posture
- Lengthens the spine and opens the chest
- Strengthens the hips, thigh muscles, and abdominal muscles, as well as all of the joints in the lower body
- Stimulates the diaphragm, heart, and abdominal organs
- Tones the back muscles and other muscles along the torso, including core muscles
- Balances the body, and brings determination and willpower to the mind
Chair pose precautions
If you have... [truncated]
