POSTURE REFERENCE

Pick a posture from the dropdown menu to access detailed information, videos, and tips.

Pranayama | Deep Breathing Posture Clinic Ardha Chandrasana | Half Moon Pose Pada Hastasana | Hands To Feet Utkatasana | Awkward Pose Garudasana | Eagle Pose Dandayama Janushirasana | Standing Head To Knee Dandayamana Dhanurasana | Standing Bow Pulling Pose Tuladandasana | Balancing Stick Pose Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimottananasana | Separate Leg Intense Stretch Trikonasana | Triangle Pose Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana | Separate Leg Head To Knee Tadasana | Tree Pose Padangustasana | Toe Stand Pose Savasana | Dead Body Pose Pavana Muktasana | Wind Removing Pose Sit-Up Bhujangasana | Cobra Pose Salabhasana | Locust Pose Poorna Salabhasana | Full Locust Pose Dhanurasana | Bow Pose Supta Vajrasana | Fixed Firm Pose Ardha Kurmasana | Half Tortoise Pose Ustrasana | Camel Pose Sasangasana | Rabbit Pose Janushirasana | Head To Knee With Stretching Pose Paschimottanasana | Intense Stretching Pose Ardha Matsyendrasana | Spine Twisting Pose Kapalbhati In Vajrasana | Blowing In Firm Pose

Posture Overview

Foundational Insights

Utkatasana, known as the Awkward Pose, is a series of three postures that focus on strengthening the legs and improving balance. The postures involve sitting back in an imaginary chair and rising onto the toes, engaging the muscles in the thighs, calves, and hips. Utkatasana is beneficial for enhancing leg strength, improving balance, and increasing concentration. 

 

Posture Breakdown

Benefits and Techniques

  • Strengthened Legs: Utkatasana fortifies the muscles in the legs, including the quadriceps, enhancing stability and endurance.
  • Improved Balance: The pose enhances coordination and cultivates a sense of equilibrium.
  • Boosted Metabolism: Regular practice stimulates the internal organs and aids in metabolic function.
  • Joint Flexibility: The posture helps improve the flexibility of the hip, knee, and ankle joints.

  • Posture Alignment: Begin with feet hip-width apart and arms extended forward, parallel to the floor.
  • Squatting Movement: Engage in a controlled squat, maintaining alignment and ensuring the knees do not extend beyond the toes.
  • Engagement of Core: Maintain an upright torso and engage the core muscles throughout.
  • Steady Breathing: Focus on maintaining steady, controlled breathing during the pose.

Video Resources

Guided Demonstrations and Tips

Watch a Demonstration
Watch a demonstration of Utkatasana | Awkward Pose.
Get Jonny's Tip
Listen to Jonny's tips for mastering Utkatasana | Awkward Pose.

The Dialogue

Bikram's Precise Verbal Instructions

Utkatasana

Awkward Pose

Right foot step to the right, six inches apart, heels invisible behind the toes. Looks like a perfect ‘H’

Six inches gap between toes and heels.

Don’t change your feet throughout the entire posture.

Arms up parallel to the floor.

Keep your five fingers together, touching each other.

Elbows locked, triceps muscles nice and tight, contraction.

Nothing loose, nothing hanging.

Stretch your arms forward towards the mirror; you’re trying to touch the mirror.

Exhale breathing.

Suck your stomach in, hold it in.

Sit down, feet flat position, until your hips touch the chair, spine straight to begin with, 100 percent bodyweight on the heels.

Lift your chest up and bend your total spine, backward bending, bring your upper body back.

Suck your stomach in, compression of the abdominal wall, contraction of the abdominal muscles.

Suck it in, tightening up, and hold it.

Ribcage visible in the mirror.

Open your knees, keep 6 inches between your toes, heels, knees and hands.

Chest up. Chin up.

Lean back. Fall back. Way back.

You’re trying to fall down backwards.

Inhale breathing and come up.

Keep your arms there.

2nd Part

Concentrate and meditate.

Stand up on your toes maximum like a ballerina. Tremendous concentration, focus one point in the mirror. If you blink your eyes, you might lose the balance.

Stretch your spine, chest, head, whole upper body, up towards the ceiling like natural human traction. Imagine I am pulling your hair toward the ceiling.

Sit down, on the top of the toes, spine straight position. Start to finish throughout the posture, you should feel your hips and head touching the wall.

Sit down halfway, until your hips touch the chair; knees up, chest up, upper body leaning back, spine straight.

Come up higher on the toes, knees up toward the ceiling. Hips should not go down below the chair, you are sitting on the chair. Inhale breathing and come up, spine straight position, keep your arms there.

3rd Part

Come up a little bit on your toes.

Bring your knees together.

Exhale breathing, suck your stomach in, spine straight.

Sit down, as slow as possible, at least 10 counts, all the way down, all the way down. Leaning against the wall.

Continuously stretch your spine towards the ceiling, half inch gap between the hips and heels.

You’re leaning against the wall, hips and head touching the wall, no gap anywhere.

Keep your knees together and forward toward the mirror, thighs parallel to the floor, arms parallel to the legs, spine perfectly straight, 90 degree angle, so from the side your body looks like a box.

Take a deep breath, knees together, spine straight. Slowly come up.

Feet together, arms down side, and relax, don’t move.

[2" Set, additional dialogue]:

[after: "Sit down, as slow as possible, all the way down, leaning against the wall".]

Towards the end, slow down like an elevator, last 6 inches -- another 10 seconds.

[after: "Keep your knees together and forward toward the mirror, thighs parallel to the floor, arms parallel to the legs, spine perfectly straight, 90 degree angle, so from the side your body looks like a box".]

Bounce like a motorcycle ride to make sure you have control. Bounce and bounce and bounce.

Stop. Hold it.

[correction (for any of the three parts)]:

Shoulders relaxed, arms stretching forward, elbows locked, triceps muscles contracted. You're trying to touch the mirror with your fingertips.

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