Standing Squat aka Chair aka UTKATASANA

UTKATA || exceeding the usual measure, difficult

Primary Purpose of Chair Pose || to strengthen the legs and build heat in the body. Great pose to incorporate at the beginning of a sequence/class as it targets the biggest muscle group in the body, the quadricep femoris. The quadricep femoris muscle, large fleshy muscle group covering the front and sides of the thigh, has four parts: rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius.

Benefits of Chair Pose

Strengthens

• feet
• legs (soles, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors)
• buttocks (gluteus medius and minimus)
• back (erector spinae)
• abdomen (rectus abdominus)
• shoulders (trapezius, deltoids)
• arms (triceps)

Stretches

• legs (soleus)
• buttocks (gluteus maximus)
• back (latissimus doris)

Stimulates

• the digestive
• circulatory, and
• reproductive systems

Relieves

• rheumatism
• arthritis in the legs
• stress as it develops concentration, balance, and strength

Proceed With Care

• if you have uncontrolled high or low blood pressure, heart conditions, practice carefully without long holds.
• if your knees are weak avoid long holding and keep you knees even with your toes.

Avoid Posture 

• if you had recent or chronic knee, hip or leg injury
• if you experience inflammation or pain

Common Misalignments To Look Out For

• knees beyond toes
• sit bones up high
• belly on the tights
• curve in the lower back
• knees collapse in

Encourage

• shifting your weight into your heals
• if you do not see your toes send your knees back in space
• energetically press your thighs together (they don’t need to touch)
• draw your belly button in
• press your tail bone toward the ground
• extend through the crown of your head
• choose any hand variation such as
  • arms parallel to the earth
  • palms touching with thumbs at heart center
  • hand to waist

Let me know if you have any questions!

xox

-Ilona