Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

<h2> Utkatasana. The Pose of the Chair, of Energy, of Strength</h2>From the word "utkata" - powerful, fierce, uneven. This asana resembles sitting on an imaginary chair. Short description of Utkatasana (Chair Pose) 1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Stretch the arms straight up over the head and join the palms.2. Exhale, bend the legs at the knees and lower the trunk until the thighs are parallel to the floor.3. Do not lean forward, but take the chest back as far as possible; breathe normally.4. Stay in the pose for a few seconds (up to thirty). It is hard to keep your balance in this pose.5. Inhale, straighten the legs, lower the arms, return to Tadasana and relax. Detailed description of Utkatasana Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other. On an inhalation stretch the arms up. On an exhalation, lowering them onto the thighs, bend the legs as though you meant to sit down on a chair. So as not to put unnecessary strain on the knees, make sure they point straight ahead and are in line with the toes. Ideally the thighs should be parallel to the floor, but the closer they come to that position, the harder the pose is to hold - both for the leg muscles and for the back muscles.With every inhalation lift the ribcage, taking it further away from the thighs and trying to arch in the thoracic spine. With every exhalation gently contract the abdominal muscles, drawing the tailbone in and lengthening the lower back. To make the pose steady, press four points of the foot firmly into the floor: the mounds beneath the big toe and the little toe, and the outer and inner edges of the heel. If you feel ready for more intensive work, stretch the arms out in front of you parallel to the floor. To open the ribcage still further, stretch the arms up. Each time you make a change to the pose, watch the depth of the backbend and where its apex falls. Coming out of the pose, return to Tadasana, lower the arms and stay there for a few cycles of breath.People with a long trunk, stiff muscles along the front of the body and weak back muscles find Salabhasana (Locust Pose) hard to do. In that case Utkatasana can replace it. The difference between them is that in Salabhasana we resist gravity, whereas in Utkatasana we bend back under its influence. That is exactly what makes the pose easier for people with a weak back. (Yoga Journal) Further description of Utkatasana Utkatasana - the «pose of holding energy». There are no contraindications. In this asana we lower ourselves as if onto an invisible seat, bearing two points in mind:1) the soles of the feet are brought together and stand firmly on the floor;2) the arms, extended, palms joined and straight at the elbows, form one straight line with the back.This is not so easy to do, especially for those whose shoulders are poorly stretched and tight. The asana loads the ankles, the ankle joints and the muscles of the thighs, back and buttocks to the maximum. The breath is continuous, the abdomen relaxed. (V. Boyko, YIK) The effect of practising Utkatasana This pose removes stiffness in the shoulders, corrects minor defects of the legs, strengthens the ankles and promotes the even development of the leg muscles. The diaphragm lifts, lightly massaging the heart. The abdominal organs and the back are toned, and the chest develops, since it expands fully. This pose is very useful for horse riders.