The body, breath, mind, and life are the foundations of Yoga. These stages represent a different interpretation of Patanjali’s eight “rungs” of Yoga as described in his Yoga Sutras. Asanas (Yoga postures), Bandhas (Body locks), and Shatkarma (Purification Exercises) all work together to maintain our physical and mental well-being.
Yoga has many positive health effects and should be practised regularly as a form of preventative medicine. Spiritually speaking, it helps you relax your entire being. If you’re interested in Yoga as a profession or simply want to improve your own practise, you may do so at the Yoga Teacher Training Center at our resort in Gokarna.
What is Utkatasana?
Utkatasana (Chair Pose) is sometimes translated from Sanskrit to English as “Fierce Seat” or “Powerful Pose.” It’s an asana that helps you feel strong and powerful by uniting your entire body.
This asana is a meditation on determination and perseverance, as well as commitment. Chair Pose requires you to seamlessly use the power of your legs, arms, and core to engage your abs, lengthen your spine, and achieve a seated position.
In addition to physical strength and stamina, Chair Pose requires mental concentration and control of the breath. You will feel like you are entering into a limitless supply of energy when you are rooted in the posture’s centre and aligned with its demands. Utkatasana teaches us a profound truth and introduces us to an essential idea in yoga: Consistent, regular practise is preferable to shorter, more intense bursts of effort. Utkatasana, like all other yoga postures, is most beneficial when practised regularly.
Step-by-step instructions
-Stand in Tadasana. Take a deep breath in and raise your arms upwards until your biceps are just in front of your ears. Keep your arms parallel and your palms facing in, or clasp them together.
-Take a deep breath out, flex your knees till your thighs are as parallel to the floor as you can manage. Your front torso will make about a right angle with the top of your thighs as your knees extend outward over your feet and your trunk leans forward over them.
-Press the top of your thigh bones down toward your heels while keeping your inner thighs parallel to one another.
-Push firmly with your back and shoulder blades. Keep your lower back long by pointing your tailbone inside, into your pubis, and down toward the floor.
-Stay like that for 30 to 60 seconds. Straighten your knees while inhaling and pushing your arms up forcefully to exit this position. Release your arms to your sides in Tadasana as you exhale.
Beginners tips for Utkatasana/Chair Pose
-To strengthen your legs, visualize squeezing them together into a single unit. To practise this, roll up a towel or a block and pretend to squeeze it while trying to fire it out behind you while inwardly rotating your thighs.
-If necessary, you can also spread your feet more apart to increase the stability of your base.
-To increase the lift in the upper body, press firmly through the feet. Maintain a balanced distribution of weight between the heels and the balls of the feet.
-With your hands on your hips or the back of a (stable) chair for support, practise the movement in the legs first.
Benefits of Utkatasana
-The legs, ankles, and feet are strengthened and stabilised.
-Strengthens the lower back and abdominal muscles
-Stretches and opens the shoulders and chest.
-Increases focus and confidence
-Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha, which promote lightness and tone the pelvic floor muscles and lower abdomen, are wonderful to practise in Utkatasana.
Variations in Utkatasana
-Protect your knees by making sure they don’t slip forward past the toe line. The toes ought to be visible.
-Bring your arms wider apart and/or lower if you have pain in your shoulders or neck. They can be pointing straight ahead of you or at the ground. Alternately, you might flex your elbows and raise your fingertips.
-To protect your lower back, make sure your lower tummy is brought back toward your spine. Avoid arching the lumbar spine excessively.
What is Utkatasana and its benefits?
Strengthens muscles: The chair pose works your legs, feet, shoulders, hamstrings, hips, glutes, upper back, and lower back. The back is lengthened and lengthened in this pose, which can also strengthen your core muscles. Additionally, it can assist in easing stiffness in the shoulders, back, arms, and legs.
Who should not do Utkatasana?
If you have a headache or low blood pressure, avoid performing this asana. If your leg or feet have recently been injured, stay away from this asana. Those with back or hip difficulties should avoid performing utkatasana.
What does Utkatasana do for the body?
In addition to strengthening the arms and legs significantly, utkatasana also stimulates the heart and diaphragm.
You may do the Utkatasana (Chair Pose) at our Yoga Teacher Training Center at Resort in Gokarna.
