Steps
- From Mountain, sit the hips back as if toward a chair. Bend the knees.
- Keep the knees pointing the same direction as the toes. You should be able to see your toes.
- Reach the arms forward, or overhead only if the ribs can stay quiet.
- Hold for three to five breaths, then press through the feet to stand.
What this pose may help with
These lines describe why people practice the shape. A pose may help with ordinary stiffness or with settling your attention. They are not claims that the pose treats or cures a condition.
- Strengthens the legs in a range you can control.
- A compact heat-building pose for a short morning routine.
- Shows you how to sit back without the knees collapsing inward.
Common mistakes
- Knees falling in toward each other.
- The lower back arching because the arms are thrown overhead.
- Heels lifting when the ankles are not ready for that.
Modifications
- Sit less deeply. A small bend still counts.
- Hold the back of a chair for balance, or practice sitting to a real chair and hovering.
Safety
- Knee pain is a signal to sit higher or skip the pose.
- If you are unsteady, use a wall or chair. Falling is not part of the practice.
- Breathe. Holding the breath makes the pose feel harder than it is.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana, said OOT-kah-TAHS-uh-nuh) is listed here as a Beginner Standing pose. The body area it emphasizes is Legs. A squat with the feet rooted and the chest lifted. Depth matters less than knees that track over the toes.
Read the steps in order. Set the pose up before you try to deepen it. The first mistake called out on this page is: Knees falling in toward each other. That line is there because the usual error is doing too much, not because a tighter shape is a better practice. The modifications keep the same idea when the full shape does not fit today. Use them on purpose. They are part of the pose, not a demotion.
People practice Chair Pose for a plain reason: Strengthens the legs in a range you can control. That “may help” is a description of why the shape is in a beginner library. It is not a claim that the pose treats, cures, or prevents a condition. Knee pain is a signal to sit higher or skip the pose.
If you are pregnant, returning from an injury, or your back has been painful, consult a doctor before you practice Chair Pose. A safety note on a website is education. It is not clearance. Sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or pain that runs down a leg is a reason to stop and get care, not a reason to hold the shape longer. The medical disclaimer on this site says the same thing in more detail.
When you are done, come out slowly. One calm repetition you can repeat tomorrow is the point of the page. Pair Chair Pose with a short routine from this site if you want a sequence, and keep the timer as a guide you are allowed to pause.