Blog: Insights from our Staff and Students

Open Your Heart and Sit into Strength: Utkatasana, Chair Pose by Chris Loebsack

1/22/2021

Utkatasana Fierce Pose aka Chair Pose - Beginner Standing Back Bendoot-KAH-TAAHS-uh-nuh
Utkaṭa (उत्कट) = Wild, Intense, Fierce
Asana (आसन) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(www.wisdomlib.org)
This posture features a standing high squat with a lifted spine as if one were trying to sit into a chair. The pose is often referred to as chair pose, but it’s translation from Sanskrit (the indian language of yoga) means fierce pose. For anyone who has ever tried this pose and held it even for a little while, you would know why it is called fierce. The pose offers incredible potential to build strength in the legs, thighs, hips, spine and the back of the shoulder.
Utkatasana is an incredible power pose. It can build energy in the physical body and confidence in the emotional body.

Model: Educator Katy Case

How to do Utkatasana

Begin in mountain pose (Tadasana). You may have the feet together (greater challenge and smaller base of support) or hip distance apart (easier to balance and often feels more comfortable in the joints of the knees and hips)
Bend your knees and track the knees over the toes. Lower the hips as if you are hovering above the seat of a chair.
Reach your arms up overhead and along the side of your ears. The spine remains upright (this will require a strong engagement of the back muscles)
Engage the pelvic floor and the belly (mula bandha and uddiyana bandha).
Maintain the length of the spine and hold the pose for 5-10 deep breaths.

Photo: Educator Brian M. Davis

Benefits

Stretches the front of the torso, and the lats.
Improves balance.
Strengthens the legs, thighs, outer hips, core, and pelvic floor.
Improves circulation.
Builds heat in the body.
Stimulates the first chakra aka root chakra (muladhara)and the 4th chakra aka heart chakra (anahata).

Common pitfalls and contraindications

When the feet are together there may be a tendency to overly squeeze the inner thighs and get a grinding sensation on the inner knees. While the inner knees may touch we are not trying to force them together.
If the stance of the feet is wider apart, the knees will not touch.
There is a tendency to lean the chest forward. To increase the work on the thighs and strengthen the back keep the chest lifted as you sit into the posture.

Preparatory posesMountain Pose (Tadasana)
References
Utkatasana. www.ashtangayoga.info, Retrieved 6 August 2020.
Kona www.wisdomlib.org Retrieved 4 August 2020Swenson, D. (1999) Ashtanga Yoga, the Practice Manual. (6th Edition) (Woodruff, C, Ed.). Houston, TX, United States of America. Ashtanga Yoga Productions.
About Chris Loebsack

Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.
Chris's Teaching Schedule

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January Core Challenge: Boat Pose- Navasana

12/30/2020

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NavasanaBoat Pose nah-VAHS-anna
par-ee-POOR-nah nah-VAHS-anna
also known as Naukasana, Ardha Navasana or Paripurna Navasana

Naukā (नौका) = A small boat
Ardha (अर्ध) =Half
Paripūrṇa (परिपूर्ण) = Complete
Nava (नावा)= A boat
Paripūrṇanavasana (परिपूर्णनावासन)
Asana (आसन) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(Sanskrit Devanagari translations www.wikapedia.org and wisdomlib.org)

Boat pose in its simplest description makes a balancing “V” shape. Paripūrṇanavasana, mostly known as navasana, is a seat balance posture that requires significant strength in the muscles of the back, hip flexors core and thighs. There are many exciting variations of navasana that increase the balance challenge and need additional flexibility. For this set we will focus on the foundational options. Similar postures such as ubhaya padangusthasana (balancing big toe posture) and urdhva mukha paschimottanasana (upward facing intense stretch pose) will be well served by cultivating a steady boat before adding variations with greater leverage and increased hamstring flexibility.

The pose navasana (paripūrṇanavasana) is found in Pattabhi Jois’s ashtanga primary series after the rotational marichyasana set and before the arm balance bhujapidasana. In the ashtanga series the poster is repeated five times in a row with either a seated lift, or a handstand between each boat pose. Each round is held for five deep breaths (approximately 30-60 seconds)

In B.K.S. Iyengar’s “Light on Yoga” he lists two variations back to back starting with paripūrṇanavasana (the full boat) and following with ardha navasana (half or low boat). Navasana in this text is preceded by dandasana the staff pose and followed by gomukhasana (cow face pose). Iyengar also recommends building up to 30 seconds or more of hold. He does note that one doesn’t need to stay very long to feel the effects of the pose and anyone who has attempted it will usually feel the core work almost immediately.

This pose is very simple in shape, but the boat requires concentration and strength not to sink. Simple does not mean easy. Practicing the boat pose variations will improve the core strength which helps support the health of the low back. If you have a sensitive back there are preparatory options that might be a better fit for you to build up to the full boat without straining your back.

How to do Paripūrṇanavasana

Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you, spine erect and belly firm. (dandasana- staff pose)
Keep the spine extended and lean back as you lift both legs (keep the inner thighs together) skyward making a V shape with your body. The arms will reach forward keeping them the height of your shoulders. Gaze at the toes.
Lift the chest a bit higher as you squeeze belly and thighs closer together to increase the anterior tilt of pelvis
Remain in the hold for 20-60 seconds.
Release the pose either back to the dandasana shape or bend the knees and place the feet on the floor. In the latter variation it may feel nice to take a soft fold over the legs, allowing a mild flexion of the spine to counterbalance all of the hard work in spinal extension.

Variations and Modifications

How to do Ardha Navasana From Seated

Begin in paripūrṇanavasana.
Allow the pelvis to posteriorly tilt (scoop underneath you) as you lower the spine and thighs closer to the ground. Hands may rest alongside the thighs or may cup behind the head to help support the neck.
Keep the scoop of the body as you hollow out the belly and hold for 30-60 seconds.
Either lift back up into paripūrṇanavasana or release to a supine position.

From a Supine Position

Start lying on your back in savasana with the inner thighs together.
Place the hands alongside the thighs or cup behind the head to help support the neck.
Scoop the pelvis into a posterior tilt as you lift the shoulders and legs off the ground simultaneously to make a low canoe shape.
Keep the belly pulling in toward the spine, low ribs and pubic bone pull toward the navel center, inner thighs squeeze together and the legs remain fully extended.

Benefits

Improves balance and posture
Strengthens the back, core muscles, hip flexors and quads (when the legs are fully extended). If the feet are in plantarflexion (pointed) the claves will also be strengthened
Ads an active stretch to the hamstrings. If the feet are in dorsiflexion (flexed) when the legs are extended the calves will also be stretched
Improves concentration

Common pitfalls and contraindications

If you round the back body you will roll out of the pose
If you have spinal injuries or spinal sensitivities, easier modifications may be needed
Not recommended for second and third trimester in pregnancy
Do not practice if you have a hernia or have had recent abdominal surgery
Avoid if you are experiencing low blood pressure

Preparatory poses and exercisesAdho Mukha Svanasana- Downward Facing Dog
Dandasana- Staff Pose
Utkatasana- Chair Pose

Counter PosesBaddha Konasana- Bound Angle Pose (with a softer back position- let it round a bit)
Any easy twist to release the spine and abdominals.

ReferencesIyengar, B.K.S. (1966) Light on Yoga, Yoga Dipiki. (3rd Edition) NY, United States of America. Schocken Books Inc
Swenson, D. (1999) Ashtanga Yoga, the Practice Manual. (6th Edition) (Woodruff, C, Ed.). Houston, TX, United States of America. Ashtanga Yoga Productions.
www.wikapedia.org
www.wisdomlib.org

About Chris Loebsack

Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.
Chris's Teaching Schedule

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Natarajasana- Lord of the Dance Pose by Chris Loebsack

10/20/2020

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Dancers Pose aka Lord of the Dance Pose - Standing Balance Pose/Back BendNot-ah-raj-AHS-uh-nuh

Nata (नट) = Dancer, Actor, Mime
Raja (राज)= King
Asana (आसन, Āsana) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(devanagari script- wikipedia.org)

This posture simultaneously evokes grounding and expansion as it combines standing balance with a back-bend.

The pose was given its name Nataraja as one of the Hindu God Shiva’s incarnations as the lord of the dance. This incredible shape presents itself in classical Indian Dance and is depicted in many statues and artistic renderings. The posture is not found in earlier yogic texts, but makes its way into the yoga set of movements during the times of Krishnamacharya in the 20th century. Krishnamachaya’s brother-in-law and one of his earliest students B.K.S. Iyengar features this posture in his text “Light on Yoga” (p420-422). Iyengar states,”This difficult balancing asana develops poise and a graceful carriage as it tones and strengthens the leg muscles. The shoulder-blades get full movement and the chest expands fully. All vertebral joints benefit from the exercise of this pose.”

There are many variations of dancers that range from easier preparations to incredible contortions. Variations will be shown in photos. The breakdown listed will be for the more intermediate dancers variation as seen in the photo above.
How to do natarajasana pose - basic version

Stand in mountain pose (tadasana).
Shift the weight into the left foot.
Bend your right knee and take a hold of your foot with your right hand.
Lift your chest and lean slightly forward as you press your foot into your hand and towards the sky.
The left arm will reach forward to help you balance. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and repeat on the second side.

Supported Dancer w/ Chair (Karen Iracane- 200RYT)

Not ready for a full reach? Use a strap (Emma Kate Keller 500 RYT)

Feeling saucy, try a bind- mermaid variation (Ashley Hackett 200ERYT)

Felling flexible? Go for the full toe grab. (Corinne Farrell 500 ERYT)

Benefits

Deeply stretches the hips and the shoulders.
Improves balance.
Strengthens the legs, thighs, core, and pelvic floor.
Improves circulation
Stimulates the solar plexus (manipura) and heart chakras (anahata).

Common pitfalls and contraindications

Modify if there are tensions or injuries in the knees, hips, spine of shoulders
You may use a wall or stable chair to support your balance
You may use a strap to ease you towards your flexibility

Preparatory posesTadasana
Vrksasana
Anjaneyasana
Anahatasana
Counter posesTwists
forward folds

References
Tumee.com
Iyengar, B.K.S. (1966) Light on Yoga, Yoga Dipiki. (3rd Edition) NY, United States of America. Schocken Books Inc.
About Chris Loebsack

Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.
Chris's Teaching Schedule

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Go Wide: Prasarita padottanasana the standing wide leg forward fold pose by Chris Loebsack

10/11/2020

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Prah-suh-rita paad-oh-taan-ahh-Suh-nuh

Prasarita (प्रसारित) = Spread out
Pada (पाद) = Foot
Uttan (उत्तान) = Extended
Asana (आसन) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(www.wikipedia.org)

This posture is a standing wide leg forward fold that has several variations. As like many of the standing postures you will not find this pose in ancient texts or images, rather this posture appears in the 1900’s in the teachings of Krishnamacharya. This pose is predominantly displayed in the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga by Pathabbi Jois with four specific variations labeled A, B, C,& D. B.K.S. Iyengar also uses this posture in his work, “Light on Yoga”. Seated and supine variations known as upavista konasana and supta konasana use the same shape with differences in gravitational direction and weight bearing.

Prasarita Padottanasana "A" (Yogini- Diane Stanton)

How to do utkata konasana A

Begin in mountain pose (Tadasana) and step the feet wide apart (approximately 3-4 feet) with the feet parallel to the short edges of your mat.
Anteriorly tilt the pelvis (hing from the hips) and bow forward.
Place your hands on the floor (or blocks).
Engage the pelvic floor and the belly (mula bandha and uddiyana bandha), lengthen the low back as you keep turning the sitting bones skyward (anterior tilt of the pelvis).
Maintain the length of the spine and hold the pose for 5-10 deep breaths.

Benefits

Stretches the hips, inner thighs and groin. The pose will also stretch different aspects of the chest and shoulders depending on the arm variation.
Improves balance.
Strengthens the legs, thighs, outer hips, core, and pelvic floor.
Improves circulation.
Builds heat in the body.
Stimulates the first chakra aka root chakra (muladhara)and the second chakra aka sacral chakra (svadhisthana).

Common pitfalls and contraindications

The tendency to round in the spine will decrease the effectiveness of the stretch on the hamstrings and adductors.
Students may take the legs wide to “get the head to the floor” rather than working the length of the spine and the anterior tilt of the pelvis to reach the ground.
If there is low back sensitivity, students may opt to bend the knees on the way down and the way up to decrease the workload on the back muscles.

Variation "B" Hands on hips with the shoulder blades squeezing together. Excellent way to encourage the lift in the chest and length in the spine while forward folding.

Variation "C" Yoga Mudra Arms (Interlace hands behind the back) or as in this photo use a strap between the hands. As the arms lift away from the hips it cultivates an excellent stretch in the shoulders and chest.

Preparatory posesReclining Angle Pose (Supta Konasana)
Seated Wide Leg Forward Fold (Upavistha Konasana)
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
5 pointed Star Pose
References
Utkatasana. www.ashtangayoga.info, Retrieved 6 August 2020.
Kona www.wisdomlib.org Retrieved 4 August 2020
Swenson, D. (1999) Ashtanga Yoga, the Practice Manual. (6th Edition) (Woodruff, C, Ed.). Houston, TX, United States of America. Ashtanga Yoga Productions.
www.ashtangayoga.info
www.tummee.com
About Chris Loebsack

Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T, fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators.
Chris's Teaching Schedule

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Happiness in Handstand- Find your Line by Chris Loebsack

8/18/2020

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Handstand (Downward Facing Tree Pose) - Advanced Inversionah-doh moo-kah virk-SHAHS-anna
Adho (अधस्)= Downward
Mukha (मुख) = Face
Vrksa (वृक्ष)= Tree
Asana (आसन) = Pose, Posture, Seat
(www.en.wikipedia.org)
One of the most powerful poses in yoga is the handstand. This posture can invoke pure joy and a sense of freedom when mastered, while even thinking about attempting it may induce fear for others. Our bodies are calibrated to an upright standing world. As such, literally turning our worlds upside down to balance on our hands carries a rage of challenges across the physical, mental and emotional spectrum. Once we understand the foundations of a handstand, it is actually quite accessible. Contrary to what many might think, the handstand is a physically safer option than some other inversions such as headstand or forearm stand. That said, any inversion should initially be learned under the direction of a qualified instructor to help guide the student through safe practices.
One of the main obstacles in handstand is the fear of falling. Fear is not a bad thing in and of itself, the fear can help us cultivate accurate self assessment and encourage us to work the foundations and progressions to build the necessary physical strength and the confidence to explore the full pose. On the other side of it, fear can become an irrational blockade to trying inversions. There are students who clearly have all of the necessary physical tools and have the safety of a spotter or a clear wall and will still have a mental shutdown with inversions. It is another strong reason to train progressively as we need to build up deposits in the bank of personal trust to have the emotional safety to work on this type of skill. In many ways this pose is a more advanced mental and emotional posture than it is a physical one.
Handstand training takes time and consistency to master. It is the posture of constant evolution and refinement. This pose that has been adopted by the yoga practice has many roots in acrobatics, gymnastics, circus, calisthenics, and cheer-leading. The current international standard for a handstand in the acrobatic community and beyond holds the handstand in a straight line. This was not always the case. In “Light on Yoga” by B.K.S. Iyengar, you will not find a straight handstand. His handstand is quite arched in the back and the handstand is used as more of a transition from wheel pose or as a pause in the jump forward. The same is true for the ashtanga lineage. Handstand in ashtanga is used more as a transition than it is practiced as a static posture. For our purposes in this round we will look only at the straight line static handstand.

How to do Adho Mukha Vrksasana- Handstand

Begin in standing forward fold (uttanasana). Place the Hands against the ground shoulder width apart, (students with tighter hamstrings will have to bend their knees) Another starting point is a downward facing dog. If starting in the down dog walk the feet in closer.
Stack the shoulders directly over the wrists and fully straighten the arms. Press the hands strongly into the earth as you pull the low ribs into the spine (Hollow body). Use one of the following entrances to get the legs into the air.

Entrances:

Tuck jump
Straddle jumps/ press
Pike jump/press
One leg Kick/press up (strong internal rotation of the thighs)

3. Once the legs are sky bound squeeze the inner thighs together. Firm up the buttocks and core. Send the tailbone toward the heels and keep the sides of the waist long. Allow the eyes to gaze at the space between the thumbs while keeping the neck long.

Notes on Variations and ModificationsThere are many variations of handstands that will come off of the straight line. We train the straight line so that we may choose to come off the line with control for other inspire variations rather than ending up off our line by default.
Additional Variations may include:
Scorpion
Hollow Back Handstand
One Arm Handstand
Leg Variations- Tuck, Straddle, Pike, Eagle, Lotus, Stag, etc.

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Open Your Heart and Sit into Strength: Utkatasana, Chair Pose by Chris Loebsack

January Core Challenge: Boat Pose- Navasana

Natarajasana- Lord of the Dance Pose by Chris Loebsack

Go Wide: Prasarita padottanasana the standing wide leg forward fold pose by Chris Loebsack

Happiness in Handstand- Find your Line by Chris Loebsack

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