Awkward Pose

 Utkatasana.

by Steve Johansen, Hummingbird Pilates and Yoga

 

A New Year and a new article! I can hardly believe that I’ve been writing these yoga articles for a whole year now, and while I still find writing very difficult, I’ve gained experience and confidence in my writing.  I decided to write about Utkatasana (OOT-kah-TAHS-ah-nah) Utkata, meaning Fierce or Difficult and Asana, Pose, as this was something that I found equally difficult at first. I was introduced to this pose during the warmup in an Ashtanga class where the teacher called it Awkward pose, over time I realised it seems like every Yoga teacher has a different name for this pose, that include Half Standing Forward Bend, Chair Pose, Intense Pose, Fierce Seat, Powerful Pose and Difficult Pose. My teacher always called it Lightning Bolt, while I can see the relevance for all the names this pose has, I’m still going to continued to call it Awkward Pose, because it is!

 

As one of yoga’s more demanding postures, as it works everything from the soles of the feet, ankles, calves, thigh, glutes, core, and the shoulders. Despite its awkwardness, Awkward pose offers many benefits: increasing strength, stamina, body awareness, balance, developing shoulder mobility, deepening the breath, fostering mindfulness and a sense of wellbeing. It is always worth remembering to practice physically demanding poses like this safely, maintaining the alignment of the feet, knees, hips and lower back, by making sure to fully engage the core muscles, especially when practising Surya Namaskar B or Sun Salutation B, where Awkward Poseis the 2^nd pose, and the 2^nd from last pose, within the vinyasa flow sequence.Equally it can be just as effective as a stand-alone pose, either held statically for a few breaths, or practiced dynamically: lowering into the pose on the exhalation and raising back up on the inhalation.

 

Where to start

•         Start in Tadasana (tah-DAHS-an-nah) or Mountain pose. Standing tall and strong.
•         Flexing your feet, activating the arches, this will highlight the 4 corners of your feet and the calves and fronts of your thighs, maintain this strength as you relax your toes.
•         Roll the pelvis slightly, to stack all the vertebrae one on top of the other, tighten your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, this helps you to stand taller and stronger.
•         Relax your shoulders downwards, creating as much space between the tops of your shoulders and ears, as you lift the crown of the head to the ceiling.
•         Find your Dristi, at eye hight in front of you, to maintain your mental and physical focus.
•         Establish a long slow, steady breath, with each inhalation find strength and ease on the exhalation.

To get into Awkward Pose:

•         Keep standing tall, strong and immovable in Mountain pose.
•         Maintain your Dristi, an unfocused gaze, at eye hight in front of you.

On your next inhalation:

•         Sweep the arms upwards, the palms facing inwards and the hands shoulder width apart.
•         Keep the shoulder blades down, helping to strengthen and broaden the shoulders.
•         Tuck your tailbone down to your heels, helping to engage your core muscles, pulling the tops of your thighs up.

On your exhalation:

•         Try to maintain the core strength and the arms up, as you bend the knees, as though sitting in a straight-backed chair.
•         Keeping the torso upright, and the knees hip width apart and your weight evenly on the 4 corners of your feet.
•         You will want to lean forward or arch your lower back, but resist this, by keeping the core strong, this is where balance and strength really comes into play.

I like to hold this pose for 3 to 5 long slow breaths, using my inhalation to find strength: tucking the tailbone and lifting the sternum. On the outbreath find ease within the effort. Sometimes I come back to Mountain Pose, other times I like to fold down to Standing Forward Bend Pose, and when I’m feeling energetic, I move in time with the breath, in and out of Awkward Pose in a dynamic way.

 

Teacher Tip: 

•         At first you may find this pose difficult, but over time and with practice you will be able to sink lower and deeper into the pose.
•         For more challenging variations, you can raise the heels up off the ground. Alternatively, once you sink into the pose, you can try adding a twist in the shoulders, by placing the back of the hand to the opposite knee and stretching up with the other hand.

 

For those of you who feel like you would like to know more of the benefits of Awkward Pose or how to incorporate this pose within your practice, join me at my studio and let me guide you into this fabulous pose. Use this free pass code HPYFREECLASS. My gift to you.