Eka Pada Utkatasana: A Key Pose for Core and Leg Strength

Standing Figure Four Pose: Safety Tips and Benefits of One-Legged Chair

Eka Pada Utkatasana Half Chair Pose
English Name(s)
Standing Figure Four Pose
Sanskrit
एक पाद उत्कटासन / Standing Figure Four Pose
Pronunciation
eh-kah pah-duh – uth-kat-tuh – ah-sah-nuh
Meaning
Eka: One
Pada: Foot
Utkata: Fierce
Asana: Pose
Pose Type
Standing, squat, one-legged, balance, and stretch
Level
Intermediate

Eka Pada Utkatasana at a Glance

Eka Pada Utkatasana or legged chair pose combines balance and focus. This pose is a foundation pose for Eka pada Galavasana, a half pigeon pose, and its variations, and also other one-leg balancing poses and hip opening poses. This pose stimulates the Svadisthana chakra and enhances your creativity.

Benefits:

  • It helps to improve core strength and strengthens your legs.
  • It helps to open your hips gives them more flexibility and strengthens it.
  • This helps to improve your balance and concentration.
  • It helps to reduce your negative thoughts and improves mindfulness.

Who can do it?

Intermediate and advanced-level yoga practitioners can do this pose. People having good levels of flexibility, core strength, and hip strength and flexibility can do this pose. Sportspersons can do this pose to improve their strength. Dancers can enhance their flexibility by doing this pose. Senior citizens can do it with props or under the guidance of the yoga teacher.

Who should not do it?

Individuals new to yoga should avoid this pose. If you have any injury in your shoulders, hips, knees ankles, or back, you should avoid this pose. Individuals with any surgery to their abdomen, legs, back, ankle, knees, or neck should avoid this pose. Pregnant women should avoid this pose. People with low blood pressure and arthritis should avoid this pose.

How to Do Eka Pada Utkatasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure

This pose needs good core strength and flexibility, so better to do the warm-ups and the preparatory poses to make it easier.

  • We can start the Utkatasana (awkward chair) pose, first stand straight with your hands on your sides keep your feet together, and breathe easily.
  • Slightly bend your knees and your thigh should be parallel to the ground and your entire body weight should be on the heels.
  • Now slowly try to lift your left leg off the floor and place the left ankle above the right knee, which is bent.
  • Let your left foot be flexed and keep the right leg (right foot) grounded and active.
  • Now inhale and slowly bring both your hands in the namaste position (Anjali mudra) and hold it in front of your chest (heart).
  • You can see below; a triangle shape created by your legs and maintain balance with the core strength.
  • You can hold this pose for a few breaths or as per your comfort and gaze slightly ahead of you at a stable point.
  • When you release, just come back to the upright position, slow and steady, and be mindful of the sensations in your body.
  • Relax for a while in the Tadasana pose and then do it on the other side (other leg) to balance the body and mind).

What are the Benefits of Eka Pada Utkatasana?

Benefits of Eka Pada Utkatasana
  • It strengthens your hips, quadriceps, ankle, and foot muscles.
  • It helps to strengthen your core muscles and stretches your outer hip and glute muscles.
  • It strengthens your entire body and improves balance and focus.
  • It enhances your mindfulness, and patience and reduces negative thoughts.
  • It can be used in sequences that focus on opening the hips, stretching the hamstrings, maintaining balance, or challenging the lower body.
  • It is a good hip opener and makes your hips more flexible.

Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Eka Pada Utkatasana

  • Practicing this yoga pose helps stretch your gluteal muscles and outer hips while using your gluteus maximus and quads.
  • In everyday life individuals, having tight hips can practice this pose to increase their flexibility.
  • People who want to increase their core strength and flexibility can do this pose.
  • This pose can help to improve your digestion process.
  • This can help people with mild sciatica pain.
  • This can help to reduce your strength and anxiety and help balance your mind and body.

Safety and Precautions

  • Avoid this pose if you have a knee or ankle injury.
  • If you have severe lower back pain, low BP, or headache avoid this pose.
  • If you experience any pain or discomfort, just come out of the pose.
  • Always do it on an empty stomach.

Common Mistakes

  • Don’t avoid the warmup and the preparatory pose.
  • Avoid holding your breath.
  • Avoid bending your knees too much.
  • Your hips and head should be in one straight line.

Tips for Eka Pada Utkatasana

  • Keep your spine straight.
  • Keep your abdominal muscles engaged.  And tuck your navel toward the spine.
  • Keep your shoulders loose and away from your ears.
  • Keep breathing for better balance.
  • Beginners should do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
  • Use props and support under the guidance of the yoga teacher.

Physical Alignment Principles for Eka Pada Utkatasana

  • Your left foot is firmly pressed on the ground and your knee is bent.
  • The right foot (right ankle) is above the left knee (left thigh).
  • Your body weight is on the left heel.
  • Knees should not bend beyond your ankle, as this can cause injury to the anterior cruciate ligament.
  • The knee and the toes of the standing foot are in one line and the knee is bent.
  • Your hips and shoulders are aligned.
  • Bring your shoulders relaxed, back and down and your chest is open.
  • Your hands are in the prayer position near your chest.
  • Gaze slightly in front of you.
  • Keep your core and thigh muscles engaged and active.

Ek Pada Utkatasana and Breath

Take a deep breath while in the standing position. Keep breathing, inhale and bend your knees, and come to the awkward chair position. Joining your palms and bringing them near the heart center, exhale deeply lift your right foot, and place the ankle above the left knee. Keep breathing and exhale deeply, engage your core, be grounded, and balance with focus mindfully. Continue breathing gently and be aware of the sensations in your body. Inhale and exhale all the negatives from your mind and relieve the stress and tension.

Ek Pada Utkatasana  and Variations

The Bottom Line

This pose is also known as the whooping crane pose, which focuses on balance, concentration, and deep hip opening. Be mindful of your breath and let your breath lead the pose. This pose requires you to be more flexible and have a good sense of physical and mental balance and a strong core to balance on a single leg. Start with the easier variation of yoga sequences and you can reach here gradually and also get guidance from the yoga teacher. Any health concerns contact your doctor. Any injury or surgery avoid this pose. Regularly practicing this pose can help you reduce your stress and anxiety and calm your body and mind. This pose can help to reduce your negative thoughts and help build positive thinking.

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Meera Watts
Meera Watts is the owner and founder of Siddhi Yoga International. She is known worldwide for her thought leadership in the wellness industry and was recognized as a Top 20 International Yoga Blogger. Her writing on holistic health has appeared in Elephant Journal, CureJoy, FunTimesGuide, OMtimes and other international magazines. She got the Top 100 Entrepreneur of Singapore award in 2022. Meera is a yoga teacher and therapist, though now she focuses primarily on leading Siddhi Yoga International, blogging and spending time with her family in Singapore.