The chair posture is one of the best known in the practice of Yoga. Although it seems simple, holding this pose for several seconds can be challenging. Below you will find out everything about Utkatasana.
Utkatasana: “utkata” (meaning “mighty” or “fierce”) and “asana” (meaning “posture”), is an essential component of sun salutations and is often used as a transition pose. It can also be practiced alone to build strength and endurance throughout the body. Being able to do this posture for several minutes brings great benefits to the muscles and posture.
How is it done? Technique
As we lie back in chair pose, we will feel the consolidation of energy in the pelvis. We will try not to fight or resist the force of the pose. We should focus on building leg strength and bringing the thighs and knees together to create stability.
The steps to do this yoga posture are:
- We will start from the posture of the mountain (Tadasana).
- We will exhale while bending the knees and moving the hips back as if we were sitting on a chair. We will draw the lower abdomen in and up to support the lower back.
- We’ll send the hips back instead of the knees forward, so we can still see the toes.
- We will inhale while we raise the arms around the ears and relax the shoulders.
- We will keep reaching higher, while sitting lower for between 5 and 10 breaths.
- To return to Tadasana, exhale as you press your feet down to straighten your legs, then lower your arms to your sides.
The secret to a stable Utkatasana is to drop the heads of the thighbones towards the heels. In the posture, we will bring the hands to the upper part of the thighs. We will place the base of the palms of the hands in the hip folds and push the thighs towards the heels, pressing the heels against the ground. Against these actions, we will lift the sit bones towards the pelvis.
We will have to practice that posture until we can maintain it without compromising the flexion of the knees and hips. We will then progress to raising the arms above the head. If we have tense shoulders, we will raise our arms up and over our heads as much as possible instead of placing them next to our ears. Alternatively, we will bring the hands into Anjali mudra with the thumbs towards the sternum.
muscles worked
Utkatasana, or chair pose, suggests potential energy waiting to be unleashed. It uses the concept of simultaneous rising and falling to create this energetic effect.
Downward forces include pressing your feet into the mat, flexing your hips to tilt your pelvis forward, and engaging your glutes to tilt your pelvis down from your back. Upward forces include activation of the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum to lift the torso. As we bring the shoulder blades toward the midline and down the back, the chest opens and rises up. Raising your arms also builds upward tension.
The chair pose strengthens several core muscle groups, including the lower back muscles, quadriceps, and hip flexors, as well as the psoas, pectineus, rectus femoris, and satorius, which hold the femora in one position. fixed position.
The quadratus lumborum is activated to arch the lower back. The erector spinae muscles synergize this action. The psoas provides a counterweight to the muscles of the back, which protects the lumbar spine. The rectus abdominis, which joins the rib cage to the pelvis, is active and prevents the ribs from bulging forward.
Profits
This asana is not only torture, as it has a large number of positive effects. Utkatasana or chair pose strengthens the entire legs from the buttocks and thighs to the calves and ankles. So if we are tired of doing squats in the gym, we can train the quads with this yoga posture.
As long as we understand the proper alignment of the chair pose, it is an excellent pose for practitioners with knee problems. By building strength in your quads, you are strengthening the mainstays of the vulnerable knee joints. It also strengthens the supporting muscles around other important joints, such as the shoulders, hips, and ankles.
However, chair pose is not just an asana for the legs, it also lengthens and stretches the back and strengthens the front and back of the spine. Also, this yoga pose helps build core strength and generate heat in the body. It thus stimulates the abdominal organs, the diaphragm and the heart. By raising your arms, Utkatasana also works your shoulders and upper back while also opening and stretching your shoulders and chest at the same time.
The chair pose is an asana that really balances the pelvis because it helps develop awareness of the position of the pelvis with the aim of keeping it in a neutral position with the tail neither tucked nor flared.
Alternatives
There are some variants to do this posture, depending on our capacity. It is a pose suitable for all types of people, although beginners can benefit from certain changes to make it more adapted:
- With block: We will hold a block between the thighs to further activate the inner thigh muscles (adductors).
- Against the wall : We will put our back against the wall, then we will slowly walk with our feet forward, lowering ourselves into the posture. We will keep our feet hip-width apart. We will make sure that the knees are directly over the ankles, not in front of them. We will remain for several breaths to several minutes.
- Against the wall, arms up : We’ll try the above variation, then slowly raise our arms into a big V shape. If we feel stable, we will lean forward, keeping our hips against the wall. We will remain for several breaths to several minutes, then we will place our back against the wall and slowly walk our feet towards the wall to come out of the posture.
