Utkatasana


Utkatasana, Chair Pose, is a standing asana in modern yoga as exercise. It was a low squatting asana in medieval hatha yoga.

Etymology and origins

The name comes from the Sanskrit words utkaṭa meaning "wild, frightening, above the usual, intense, gigantic, furious, or heavy", and āsana meaning "posture" or "seat".
The modern chair-like pose is said to originate with Krishnamacharya. An older version of the pose, with the yogin squatting lower down on to the heels, is shown in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi.

Description

In Utkatasana, the knees are hips-width apart, the knees are bent, the hips are back, the chest is forward, and the arms are above the head, in line with the ears.

Variations

Parivritta Utkatasana is the rotated variant.
Utkata Konasana, Goddess Pose, has the legs wide apart, the feet turned outwards in line with the thighs, and the knees bent. The arms are usually raised with the elbows bent; variants have the arms straight up, or the hands may be held in Añjali Mudrā, prayer position in front of the chest.