In Sanskrit, Utkatasana means something very wild and furious. In English, another name for Utkatasana is chair pose. It sounds very easy and comfortable to sit in a chair. Imagine you are sitting but it there is no chair, this is what Utkatasana is.
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The yogic philosophy of the Utkatasana
While you perform Utkatasana keep in your mind Utkatasana is one of the basic standing postures. It’s a powerful yoga posture where you need to be strong and powerful.
Utkatasana comes under mediaeval hatha yoga posture. It is a posture where you perform a low squatting pose.
Benefits of Utkatasana
There are multiple benefits of utkatasana. While you perform utkatasana and sit for at least 15 to 20 seconds your calf, leg, and hamstring muscle becomes very flexible.
- It’s a great exercise for your upper half of the body also. It is used to strengthen the spinal cord, hips, and waist.
- The lower half of the body is also get benefited by utkatasana. Your thigh leg muscle and knee muscle get toned up while you practice.
- Your neck, as well as shoulder blades, becomes strong.
- Utkatasana maintains the feelings of balance and improves concentration.
- For those who have flat feet problems to a certain extent, it is also solved.
- Utkatasana helps to correct your standing posture also
- Utkatasana regulates metabolism rate, heart rate as well as maintains proper blood flow in the body.
- Utkatasana strengthens hip flexors, quadriceps, and posterior muscles like butts and hamstring.
Chair Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Initially stand up straight in tadasana also called mountain pose.
- Keep your feet on the ground firm. Slowly raise your hands upward.
- Now do not bend your elbows till now.
- Start bending your knees and try sitting in a posture without a chair as you see in the image.
- Try to be comfortable at least imagine you are reading a newspaper sitting in a chair.
- Keep your shoulder blades up in this posture.
- The final posture of Uttar asana is just to focus on sitting in a chair lifting your hands.
- Try to stay there for 15 to 20 seconds and look straight.
- Keep your breathing normal, however, you can practice deep breathing also.
Advance Variations of Utkatasana
There are few variations of utkatasana while you raise your one hand, try to bend in the right or left direction, and sit the same way you are before. This creates an archer’s chair pose.
Another variation of utkatasana is sitting in the chair but try to bend or twist in a namaste pose on the right or left side. This is called a twisted chair pose.
Try to lift your hands and bend in the front side. This is a generic chair pose variation.
One-legged chair pose variation also called compass chair pose is to lift one leg at the same time back bending your body with one hand on the floor to balance the body.
Therapeutic Applications of Utkatasana
- Impaired ligament
- Headaches
- Arthritis
- Chronic Ankle Pain
- Chronic Knee Pain
Poses Related to Utkatasana
Preparatory Poses
- Tadasana
- Garudasana
- Uttanasana
Follow-up Poses
- Vrikshasana
- Virasana
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
Beginner’s Tip of Utkatasana
Initially when you practice this posture try holding a wall for maintaining a steady balance without raising your hands. Once the balance is fixed later you can raise your hands.
Contraindications and Cautions of Utkatasana
If you have a recent operation restrain yourself from practicing utkatasana. If you have leg injury ankle injury or calf injury do not practice. Those with massive joint and knee pain should not practice Utkatasana. For pregnant women, it is suggested not to practice chair pose. If you have a neck injury, shoulder injury then do not practice chair pose.
FAQ’s on Utkatasana
Which type of pose is Utkatasana?
Spinal cord / Core
Standing
Utkatasana/Pose type
What does chair pose do?
Chair Pose brings a sense of balance in legs and calves area. It will boost strength in your thighs, joints, hamstring also. It helps to stabilize your knees steadily. Utkatasana helps to boost upper half of the body as well. Your breathing capacity will stretch to a greater extent and for people with lower respiration capability, it will help a lot.
Is chair pose or Utkatasana a backbend?
Utkatasana (Chair pose) is not a backbend posture. While you perform utkatasana you can bend your head and neck as well. But bending the whole back will bring a variation in the posture. Instead of that, you can bend your neck for firm respiration in the system.
How breathing is related to Utkatasana or chair pose?
While you perform Utkatasana inhale and raise your arms next to your ears. Try stretching them straight and parallel with your hands.
While you exhale keep bending your knees, keeping your leg posture corrected, and put thighs and knees in parallel position.
What areas of the core does chair pose help tone?
These areas are usually your legs, shoulders, chest, and thighs are toned up by Utkatasana/Chair pose. However, one exercise or asana will not be able to create a perfect balance in the body. This is the reason you have to perform few preparatory asanas like garudasana, Uttanasana, etc. also. Separate yogasanas need to practice for different muscle groups in your body.
Is chair pose a balance pose?
While you try One-Legged Chair Pose, a variation in chair pose improves core strength and balance of the body. It opens the hips and strengthens the legs. You are extending your hips and leg muscles while using the hamstrings, quadriceps, etc. It is a boon for you to improvise your balance. To have a proper walk or running and preventing falls in everyday life balance is a must.
What is chair pose called in Sanskrit?
Utkatasana
Utkatasana (Sanskrit: उत्कटासन; IAST: Utkaṭāsana), Chair Pose, is a standing variation in modern yoga posture and exercise. It was squatting posture in medieval hatha yoga.
Conclusion
By the name itself, you can guess it’s gonna give you a cranky idea but Utkatasana is indeed a great posture for strengthening your back and leg. For people who had chronic pain history in joint pain, it certainly brings relief also. Try a few variations by yourself like a compass, bending back, etc. will open the door for practicing Utkatasana for a long time.
Further reading
Have you enjoyed reading about “Top Benefits of Utkatasana/Chair Pose | Step by Step Instructions for Utkatasana”? Also, check various Topics on Yoga and related topics on Yoga. Relevant issues like Porn in young people, Overpopulation in India 2020 also. Take a look at our collection of articles about books for life as well as other categories in health & Inspiring Indians Life also. Alternatively, read our article about the top benefits of honey for fighting against coronavirus to increase our stamina, & other interesting ideas for various vegetables in our daily groceries.