Day 5: Awkward Pose

Utkatasana, Awkward Pose

This one can be… Awkward!

First part:

Watch those feet! Your feet will have a tendency to move around in this one. Your heels should be invisible behind your toes for all 3 parts. As you sit your hips “into the chair”, move mindfully so that you can keep your feet aligned. Your upper body will want to lean forward as you sit, so you have to really concentrate on arching your upper body back to create a backward bend.

Second part:

You must concentrate in order to keep your balance in 2nd part! In the beginning you might not be able to get very high on your toes, and that’s OK. This one is great for your ankles and toes (when is the last time you thought, I should take care of my toes today?). Get as high on your toes as you can, and then sit your hips into the chair, not below the chair. “The chair” means thighs about parallel to the floor. Your spine should stay straight here, and it might feel like you are leaning back a little bit to achieve a straight spine.

Third part:

The challenge in this part for most of us is to go in and out of it slowly. Over time, you are trying to take 10 seconds to go in and out of the posture! Go as slowly as you can on the way down and make sure you are not resting on your ankles or your calves (that’s cheating!).

Benefits of Awkward pose:

• Helps treat and prevent arthritis of the knees, ankles, and hips.

• Develops incredible strength in your legs, abs, hips, ankles, and toes.

• Strengthens and firms your upper arms.

• Good for digestion.

• Develops your concentration power.