Hot Yoga Pose Forums > Chapter: Utkatasana
I love this pose and how powerful it makes my legs feel. I also love short shorts and this pose makes me feel more confident in them. Learning that lengthening the life nerve lengthens the life makes me want to stick my butt out all the time. In part one I continue to struggle to get my thighs completely parallel to the ground. I don't feel that it is lack of strength or flexibility. Is there something else that could be at play?
Erica
Sometimes Erica its just a slight trick alignment and/a slight changing of your mind/and a big and soothing trick of energy that can give you those parallel thighs: lets try them all - and I promise you ALL of them will feel great !
BODY: When you set up the pose with feel parallel, try kicking your heels slightly to the out to either side so your feel look a little wider than parallel at the heels. Now you bend the knees this will keep the knees aligned parallel and it will activate the inner thighs in way that lowering down in the pose feels more stable.
MIND: Imagine that you are reaching for a chair as you stretch your tailbone back...and once you are "sitting in the chair" you will feel completely supported by the chair and the pressure to hold yourself aloft is removed!
ENERGETICALLY: Now you are working the larger part of you which is vibrationally: if you remove the word "struggle" and remember that you are Tigger, always able to bounce easily into anything you want, then you can be present for each pose and simply notice where you are today without judgement, and, like Tigger, go bouncing into the next pose happily no matter what. This vibrational resistance is the STRONGEST OBSTACLE between you and any pose you want...as well as anyTHING you want in your life.
THis one many be hardest to accept as It feels counter-intuitive to all we are taught: we are taught to strive for what we want and be earnest about it - but this struggle is actually CONTRACTING you, in body mind and spirit and creating resistance vibrationally/energetically - and only letting go is the answer. And what a soothing and beautiful answer it is! Try it and let us know
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I tried kicking my heels out a little and I do feel more square and stable. As for vibrationally I just decided I could do it. I quit worrying about falling on my butt. I felt like I was able to go deeper and I did get the sitting on a chair feeling
Erica
Ah, the first time you have that "sitting in a chair feeling!" Now you can call up that feeling every time
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
MMMM that sit in a chair feeling is delicious! I am able to obtain that when I listen to the steps and turn off my brain, I was trying to see if my legs are parallel, but it can be felt. In the 3rd pose I just realized my hips are supposed to be on my heels! I know when I squat down to pick something up i realize my hips are on my heels I try to hover, and the stretch feels SOOOO good. I am excited to try this in the studio! My hips seem to be opening, so we shall see! Tiptose - i compare myself to where I was, and that doesn't matter, come back to the room. I do enjoy this pose! It is a powerful pose that has the ability to make me feel strong or weak!
Lisa N
Lisa, yes, the way we cue Utkatasana is hips to heels first, then drop the knees and hover hips over heels. In some Hot 26 classes, the hips are not to touch the heels, just stay hovering. Can you imagine why we cue hips to heels initially before attempting to hover?
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
So that people with bad knees are able to put there hands on floor for extra support. I think there could be more reasons as well. Please share
Lisa N
Lisa- no; hips to heels first helps the knees to open; gives the student a moment to rest; and assures that when hovering the knees are pointed downward to keep the lower back lengthened. People with tight hopes or knees often cannot sit hips to heels and must lean over and place their hands on the floor to stabilize and decrease pressure on the knees as they gradually and gently ease the hips to their heels
Rhonda Uretzky
Yes, Rhonda, what you just said "the making legs can even be joyful" totally resonates with me. I find this pose to be one of my favorite strength-builders in class--I love it, especially the second part, standing up on tiptoes and slowly coming down. The shaking that occurs feels like my muscles are saying a loud THANK YOU to me for using them in this way and waking them up. All in all I love the transition through each of the three parts and how to fit together so nicely for this pose. One of my faves! <3