Yoga Pose:
Utkatasana
Important Note
Take special precautions while doing any asana. If you are learning yoga, then take the advice of a knowledgeable person. Do not put any kind of force in the event of pain or unable to do so. Keep in mind that you will be able to succeed only with constant practice.
Brief Introduction Of The Utkatasana
- Utkatasana is also known as Chair Pose, Lightning Bolt Pose, Hazardous Pose, Fierce Pose, Bikram Pose, Wild Pose or Awkward Pose. In the Sanskrit language, Utkat means Fierce or Wild, while asana stands for ‘Pose’. It is rather pronounced as OOT-kah-TAHS-anna. This pose requires you to get into a deep squat. You are to bend your knees to position your legs in a manner like sitting on a chair. Your whole lower body is involved in the process including your back, ankles, legs and hips. Sitting on a chair is an effortless task that even a child can perform. But sitting on an imaginary chair is not that easy as it sounds to be. This pose is rather regarded to be a powerful or intense pose. It is a power asana. Experts believe that the pose help to align and balance properly your pelvis region. This allows you to be in full control of your energy flow through your spinal region. Being a tough pose, you need to do it under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher to do it correctly.
- But you need to make sure that you do this asana on an empty stomach and clean bowel. The best time to practice is early in the morning. Otherwise, have your meal at least 4-6 hours before you practice it. This way, your food will be digested completely providing you with a sufficient amount of energy to perform it correctly. This basic level yoga pose is part of the Vinyasa style. Beginners are recommended to be in this pose for about thirty to sixty seconds. Repetition is not necessary. Doing this yoga helps strengthen your calves, ankles, vertebral column and thighs. Simultaneously, it stretches your thorax and shoulders.
How To Do The Utkatasana?
- Use a yoga mat and stand straight on it. Keep your feet slightly apart, arms by your side and balance your body.
- Inhale deeply. Stretch your arms straight in a manner that palms should be facing one another. Your elbows should be straight while doing this act and should not be in the bent position.
- Now exhale deeply and then bend your knees gently. Push your pelvis downwards, such that thighs are to be parallel to the ground. You should appear seated in the imaginary chair.
- Feel relaxed and comfortable while doing this asana. To enhance your pose, act like you are reading a newspaper. While doing this, keep your hands parallel to the ground.
- While holding the pose, stretch your spine. Calm your mind and smile a lot as it helps you to stay relaxed. Be in this pose approximately for a minute.
- Then go down gently to sit in Sukhasana pose.
Valuable tips for beginners to perform Utkatasana properly
- Beginners are likely to face trouble trying to hold this pose for quite a long time. Use the wall to support yourself while starting. But stand away from the wall for about a couple of inches as you bend and touch it with your tailbone.
Advanced Utkatasana pose variation
- Once you get comfortable with this pose, you should try to increase your intensity. While standing on your feet’ balls in this position, try to lift your body as much as possible. On raised heels, drop buttocks down. Place your arms forward, keeping them parallel to one another. Palms should face downwards pointing to the floor.
Preparatory poses you can practice before getting into Utkatasana
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Bhujangasana
- Virasana
Follow-up poses after doing Utkatasana
- Uttanasana
- Tadasana
Benefits Of The Utkatasana
Practicing this pose regularly can help you to derive several benefits.
- It stretches effectively your chest muscles, spine and hips region.
- It strengthens your lower back and torso region.
- It imparts a sense of balance within your body and boosts self-confidence as well as self-determination.
- It tones your thighs, ankles and legs, especially muscles present in the knee region.
- In todays pandemic times, it is important to enhance your immunity level. With this asana, you can experience increased immunity. It also helps provide relief to back pains and joint pains.
- You can shed weight, more from the buttocks.
- It provides excellent massage to your abdominal organs while stimulating the heart and the diaphragm.
Precautions To Be Taken While Doing The Utkatasana
When doing this asana, you need to take into consideration several cautionary points, to avoid unwanted injuries. Avoid performing this asana, if you suffer from health-related ailments like:
- Arthritis
- Headaches
- Low blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Damaged ligaments
- Chronic knee pain
- Sprained ankle
- Take extreme care when practicing the asana, especially if you suffer from a shoulder injury, lower back pain or while menstruating.
- If you feel dizzy or experience neck pain when performing this asana, then gaze forward and look straight.
- As a beginner, you are advised to be in this pose only for the specified time frame. You should go down until the body retains its natural lumbar curve.
Conclusion
- Experts believe that this is a powerful and fierce asana. Practicing this pose correctly, sincerely and regularly will provide the desired results. All your body parts are likely to get stretched and strengthened as expected. You need to sit in an imaginary chair, with your body seeking stamina and strength. The pose also helps to impart stability throughout your body.
- While squatting in this pose, deepen it eventually. Your body has to overcome the resistance offered by the earths gravity. To achieve this objective, you need to have strong quadriceps, which is considered to be the bodys biggest muscles. Strengthening this muscle helps combat knee problems. This is because Utkatasana pose strengthens your knees. However, while lowering yourself to be in this pose, you need to take care of your bones.
- Therefore, doing this asana regularly will help you to attain immense power in your body. You can experience peace, good health and happiness, something not achievable through other means.
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