For UTKATASANA – CHAIR, begin standing, or in Mountain Pose. Feet are hip distance apart. On an inhale bring the arms up, palms facing one another, arms by the ears. Exhale, bending the knees. Knees are bent to a gentle squat. Reach your tailbones back, and shift most of the weight to your heals. Keep your torso in a straight line, allowing the body to lean forward slightly. In this way, the line of your thighs and torso would create a right angle. Keep your shoulders away from your ears, breathing them in and down. Inhale, lengthen through your tailbone, arms and spine, and exhale relaxing into the posture. Hold for several breaths.
Benefits:
This posture strengthens the lower body, including the inner thighs, gluteus muscles, hip flexors and quadriceps. It also strengthens the calf muscles. Chair helps with your posture, improving body alignment and improves balance. This posture also strengthens the ankles and the arches of the feet as well as the core body. The challenging aspect of this posture stimulates the heart, detoxifying your system. Chair posture tones legs and helps in their circulation, while also giving the muscles a good stretch. Energetically this posture activates the sacral energy center just below the navel.
