Wellness Wednesday Pose of the Day: Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

You can definitely strengthen in this pose, not only your core, thighs and glutes but you can play around with it and work in a one leg balance in as an added challenge.  I would start with your knees pressing firmly together and even your big toes.  Make sure to squeeze your inner thighs and pull in your abdominals to stabilize your lower back area.   Send your hips low and hold for up to 30 seconds. Make sure the weight is in the heels, abs are pulling and shoulders are down your back using upper back muscles (to modify for shoulder issues, just bring palms together at heart’s center).

You can also do small pulses for about 20 reps, stand and repeat a few times.  Another option is to lift up the heels and hold a balance or even pulse there as well.   Another great thing to do from chair pose is to bring hands to the heart and twist in one direction and hold(one elbow to outside of opposite thigh) up to 30 seconds(you can even open arms up wide) and then switch.  You can switch for 8 counts, make sure to pull abdominals in as you twist and to keep your knees evenly pressing together(using inner thighs).

An added challenge would be to then lift up one foot and set it on the opposite thigh(in a figure four shape) and sit back into chair.  This is also an awesome hip opener. Hold 5 breaths.  Repeat on the other side.

To try Parsva Bakasana (side crow/crane) balance, start from the twist. Slide your elbow further down side of thigh (as you exhale, twisting deeper).  Then bring hands to floor near your hip, if you’re on the right side your right hand will be a couple inches further back.  Bend elbows so they point straight back, line up over the wrist, then set your right hip on rt elbow.  Shift weight slightly forward and engage the core.  Keep bending elbows and hug them towards each other, using triceps. Practice until both feet are off the ground.

This is a great strengthening and detoxifying series to get you ready for many of the other, more challenging poses in yoga.  It will help strengthen everything in the body and build up the natural body heat (tapas).