Sitting on a chair is easy but sitting on an imaginary chair can be challenging. Well, that is the beauty of this fierce yoga posture — the Utkatasana(chair pose). A challenging yoga posture resembling a stance of a chair that evidently builds strength, focus, and promotes inner power.
An exceptionally powerful pose worth all the hard work as it increases strength, stamina in legs, improves body balance, opens the chest, and fosters greater goodness in the whole body and mind.
Here is a list of the top 10 excellent benefits of chair pose. Take a look at the list below:
1. Corrects Posture: Peek into any office and you are sure to find employees curled over their desktops. Notice passengers on the subway? How do they sit? Slumped over their smartphones. More or less a majority of people stand, sit, and walk with a stooped posture. A poor posture is the underlying cause of a backache, cervical problems, slip disc, and so much more. The practice of Utkatasana pose rectifies and corrects the bad posture and helps you achieve a better stance while sitting, standing, and walking. A good posture improves body alignment, eliminates back and neck pain, improves breathing, makes you look taller among others.
2. Improves Body Balance: Quite an overlooked word in the health is ‘balance.’ But balance is equally important as strength, flexibility, and endurance. Incorporate the chair pose into your health regimen and improve your overall body balance. A proper balance is needed to prevent falls and injuries. Once we learn to balance our bodies, we can control our movements and escape the fractures that happen because of these falls. Therefore, balance is important for a healthy and functional life.
3. Tones Tired Legs: We all love to wake up fresh in the morning but for many, this isn’t the case. Rather they feel tired, irritated, and unwell. It can be because of worn-out legs. The tired legs include feelings of stiffness, an ache that is caused by a poor blood circulation, varicose veins, strain, etc. Chair posture helps tone the tired legs by improving circulation, stretching, and strengthening the legs.
4. Strengthens the Ankles: If you are an athlete then the practice of utkatasana is great for you. When athletes run or jump, the muscles surrounding the ankle are put under a great stress. The chair pose strengthens the ankle musculature allowing the athletes to withstand a greater force and reducing the risk of injury. Also, chair pose makes the lower body and hips strong preventing chronic conditions like splints.
5. Stretches Shoulders: Shoulders help with everyday tasks such as the lifting of objects, performing exercises, and so much more. The utkatasana stretches the shoulders and increases their flexibility. Pliant shoulders are very important as they improve the overall body strength. Flexible shoulders keep the joints, ligaments, and muscles safe from injury.
6. Stimulates the Heart: A regular practice of utkatasana effectively stimulates the heart, diaphragm, and abdominal organs resulting in their optimal functioning and keeping the body in a healthy state. Also, the utkatasana increases the heart rate during the performance of the pose that is advantageous for the body as it speeds up the breathing allowing more intake of oxygen, gets rid of more carbon dioxide, pumps extra nutrients to the muscles, and increases lactic acid levels in the body.
7. Activates the Svadhisthana chakra: Located below the navel, it is a center of ease and enjoyment. A balanced svadhisthana chakra leads to greater feelings of wellness, abundance, and creativity. Explore the feminine, lunar, and passive energy of this chakra by performing the chair pose on a regular basis.
8. Reduces Flat Feet: Flat feet are nothing to worry about. Practice the chair yoga posture that effectively reduces the symptoms of flat feet and pain caused in the ankles, legs, and hips due to flat feet. Utkatasana is a cost-effective and safe alternative to surgery for flat feet.
9. Reduces Stress: The everyday practice of chair pose effectively reduces stress and tranquilizes the mind. Peaceful mind awakens inner strength and confidence helping a person stay strong in the face of discord.
10. Unlocks the Powerful Side: Practice the intense powerful chair yoga posture and unearth your fiery side. Live your life high on vitality, health, and strength through a regular performance of utkatasana.
Stay strong, healthy, productive and cheerful with the practice of Utkatasana (chair pose).
To Know more about Utkatasana, join yoga teacher training in India.
