Introduction
The Chair Pose (Utkatasana), variation gives more challenges to the yoga routine. In the series of variations, the chair Pose is the more effective pose. It is the best pose to add more difficulty and stretch to your daily yoga routine. This offers many physical and mental health benefits and strengthens your muscles. This is a great amendment of the basic traditional Utkatasana to achieve more balance. It is a full head-to-toe challenge for newcomers or an experienced yogi to achieve their desired goals and body.
In this full article, we explore one of the most powerful variations of Chair Pose, the Half Chair Pose and its multiple benefits, contraindications, and step-by-step instructions to practice this pose easily.
Basics of Half Chair Pose
This is the best variation of the Chair Pose (Utkatasana) and a full-body workout for you. According to the name, it is a chair position but comes with a little modification. The other name of this pose is “ARDHA UTKATASANA” a Sanskrit language word. “ARDHA” means Half, UTKATA means Intense and ASANA means Pose.
- Level – Intermediate
- Position – Standing, One-legged
- Other Name – Whooping Crane Pose, Standing Figure Four
- Target Muscles – Lower Back, Glutes, Pelvic, and Hamstrings
Benefits of Half Chair Pose
Regular practice of the Ardha Utkatasana offers many benefits to your body. Anatomically it strengthens all body parts including the quad, hips, pelvis, and spine. It improves the body’s flexibility, and balance, and flexibility also improves posture. Here are some amazing benefits of this pose explained below
- It strengthens the core, spine muscles and opens the hips, and increases flexibility. In these variations, maximum stretching of the hips and glutes muscles improves the strength of the body.
- This pose is also best for heart and lung health and well-being and prevents heart and lung diseases. Deep breathing improves the respiratory system and improves blood circulation. Regular practice of this pose improves your lung capacity and strengthens your heart.
- This pose improves your posture and offers correct alignment. This pose requires lots of balance and stability to maintain the posture on one leg. In this pose, you hold a straight alignment between the spine and buttocks in one line. That helps activate the core and abdominal muscles and gives you a more stable posture.
- Holding this pose helps release the tension of the hips, core, and shoulder muscles and makes it stronger and more flexible. This prevents muscle from any injury and pain.
- This pose stimulates your respiratory, metabolic, and circulatory systems and functions. It improves blood circulation in the body and provides more oxygen to cells.
- This pose is also good for a person with a flat foot and their complications. When you practice this pose, it helps to create a curve (Arch) between your feet and relieves the flat foot problem.
- It improves your digestion system and prevents the constipation issues. It stimulates the abdominal and digestive organs and massages them by putting pressure.
How To Do Half Chair Pose: Step-By-Step Process
Here we learn how to do this pose in the right way with step-by-step instructions. Read carefully all the instructions before performing this pose.
- Stand straight in the mountain pose the feet together with a few inches gap and take 3-4 deep breaths in this pose.
- Now coming into the basic Chair Pose (Utkatasana), feet firmly on the ground, for more stability. The body’s weight balances on both feet evenly and maintains the position.
- Bring your hand in front of your chest in the prayer pose (Anjali Mudra) join your palms together. Take a deep breath or continue breathing throughout the pose.
- Raise your right foot off the ground and bend your right knee as well. Put your right ankle over the left bent thigh.
- Ensure the right ankle should be over the left thigh just above your knee. If you put the ankle over the knee, it may cause strain or pain in your knee.
- Hold this posture for 4-5 breaths balance the pose and balance your body’s weight on the left foot.
- To release the pose, lower the right leg on the ground straighten your hand at your aside and come into the mountain pose.
- Repeat the same pose with the other leg you can repeat this pose 3-4 times with each side and according to your body’s ability.
Contraindications and Precautions of Half Chair Pose
This pose requires lots of balance and stamina to hold the posture on one leg. It is quite a challenging and advanced variation of the basic traditional Utkatasana. This variation comes with some limitations. which must be kept in mind before performing this process. Here are some safety precautions given below
- If you have an injury in a knee or ankles, you should avoid this pose. It may cause worsen your injury conditions.
- A person with chronic pain in the knee, shoulder, and ankles or suffering from arthritis. They should avoid doing this pose as it may increase their pain.
- A person with severe balance issues, vertigo, migraine, and high or low blood pressure. They should avoid this pose as it may worsen their conditions.
- Pregnant women and senior citizens avoid performing this pose. It requires lots of balance, flexibility, and stamina can cause a risk of falling.
Conclusion
The Half Chair Pose “Ardha Utkatasana” is one of the powerful variations. It increases balance, flexibility, and strength and also improves posture. It is a relaxing and stretching pose that helps to relax the strain on the muscles. Deep breathing in this pose enhances the lung capacity and increases the oxygen levels.
If you have any queries or suggestions, please leave a comment. We will pleased to answer all your queries. Thank you.
Honey is a certified yoga teacher from Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar. Through the learning process, she realized, that yoga can be helpful in the wellness of one’s life.
