Goddess Pose
Kona : “angle”
āsana: “posture”
Introduction
Utkata Konasana is a standing yoga pose that challenges your muscles and mind. During this pose, you raise your arms at shoulder length, and your lower body goes in the Wide-Legged Squat posture.
This asana or yoga pose provides benefits to different parts of your body, such as hips, groins, abdomen, and chest. The Fierce Angel Pose can also be quite beneficial to females, as it widens and strengthens the uterus during pregnancy.
Even though Utkata Konasana is called the Goddess pose, it is suitable for both male and female practitioners. Practicing this pose makes an individual more graceful and poised.
According to various research based on Hatha Yoga indicates that Hatha Yoga is an ancient practice that has been found to promote overall well-being. Yoga postures seem to help people feel better when they’re suffering from stress and anxiety. Because it helps them release tension throughout their body and helps to stretch and activate various muscles at the same time.
Muscle Focus
Goddess Pose focuses on several muscles such as
- Quadricep
- Back muscles
- Core
- Hamstring
- Glutes
- Calf muscles
Ideal For Health Conditions
- It aids tight external hip rotators.
- Releases Adductors muscles.
- Improves digestion.
- Increases ROM (Range of Motion).
- Makes our hip joint more healthy.
Benefits of Utkata Konasana or Fierce Angel or Goddess Pose
1. Helps to De-Stress
Regular practice of Utkata Konasana opens your glutes, flexes your hips, and ends up contracting the psoas muscles. All of these cumulatively result in reducing your stress.
2. Opens and Stretches Lower Body
This half-squat yoga pose opens up and stretches the quadriceps, hamstrings, knees, and ankles, thereby strengthening the different parts of your lower body. Continuous practice of this pose also helps to relieve the symptoms of arthritis. Along with that, this asana stretches the sciatic nerve, which prevents sciatica from reoccurring.
3. Perfect Pose for Beginners
Utkata Konasana is a perfect pose for beginners as it is easy to perform and offers a host of benefits.
4. Works upon Abductors or Gluteus Minimus
This asana also works upon abductors or Gluteus Minimus, which are the muscles on the outside of your hip. These play an important role in stabilizing your hips and thighs while you walk or run.
5. Helps to Prevent Arthritis
The practice of Utkata Konasana is also beneficial in preventing arthritis. The pose opens up the knees and ankles, which helps to keep them healthy and flexible.
6. Strengthens Knees
This yoga asana also strengthens the knees by stretching the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles.
7. Stretches Sciatic Nerve
The Utkata Konasana pose stretches the sciatic nerve, which is beneficial in preventing sciatica from reoccurring.
8. Strengthens the Quadriceps and Legs
Utkata Konasana or Fierce Angel or Goddess Pose is a great way to strengthen the quadriceps and legs.
9. Boosts your Energy Level
Utkata Konasana or Fierce Angel or Goddess Pose is a great way to boost your energy level. The pose helps to open up the hips and glutes, which in turn activates the psoas muscles. This results in an increase in blood flow throughout the body, thereby providing you with more energy.
10. Can be used as an Active Yogic Exercise
Utkata Konasana or Fierce Angel or Goddess Pose can be used as an active Yogic exercise. The pose helps to tone the body and improve your balance and coordination.
Contraindications
As already stated, the Goddess pose is a bit challenging. This is why you should perform it with extreme caution. If you have a hip, ankle, or knee injury, then you should avoid practicing this pose.
In case of a shoulder injury, you should place your hands on the heart center. Utkata Konasana generates heat in your body which is not suitable for people with hypertension.
Variations
- Parivrtta Utkata Konasana (Revolved Goddess Pose)
Preparatory Pose
- Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
- Malasana (Deep Squat)
- Virabhadrasana – II (Warrior – II Pose)
Beginner’s Tips
- Make sure your knees are comfortable while practicing this Pose.
- You should not be getting a feeling of discomfort in your spine.
How to do Goddess Pose
- Come to a standing position and then open your legs at 2-3 Feet gaps apart, and turn your toes outwards at a 60-90-degree angle.
- Bend the elbows and bring your hands to touch each other in front of your chest in Anjali Mudra or Prayer Position, then inhale and lift your gaze forward.
- As you exhale, begin bending the knees downwards over the toes into a squatting position while still looking up. Keep the hands in prayer position as you go lower.
- If possible, try to get the thighs parallel to the floor, but if that’s not possible then go as low as you can while still maintaining a sense of length through the spine. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed between both feet and allow your head, neck, and shoulders to relax.
- Hold for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, then inhale and come back up to the standing position. Repeat as desired.
Mental Benefits of Goddess Pose
- Brings a balanced state of mind.
- Energizes the body.
- Gives your body an extra boost.
Bottom Line
Utkata Konasana is a great pose for opening up the hips and stretching the lower body. This half-squat yoga pose strengthens different parts of your lower body while also helping to relieve symptoms of arthritis. Additionally, this asana stretches the sciatic nerve which can help prevent future occurrences of sciatica pain. Utkata Konasana is an excellent beginner’s pose.
