1 Stand in Mountain pose with your big toes touching and your heels about 1in (2.5cm) apart. Reach your arms overhead, palms facing inward. Squeeze thighs toward each other, and engage your abdominal muscles.
This basic yoga squat is perfect for runners, people who sit often, and anyone who wants to have better workouts. Chair develops muscle activation in your glutes, improving your squats, lunges, and sprints. It also prevents lower-back pain and strengthens your knees.
TARGET AREAS
• glutes • hips • thighs • ankles
BENEFITS
• Improves hip strength and muscle activation • Addresses cause of exercise-induced lower-back pain • Activates lower-body muscles • Improves ankle mobility for squats
1 Stand in Mountain pose with your big toes touching and your heels about 1in (2.5cm) apart. Reach your arms overhead, palms facing inward. Squeeze thighs toward each other, and engage your abdominal muscles.
2 Slowly bend your knees and lower your hips down and back, as if sitting down onto a chair. Keep your arms overhead and rotated inward so your biceps face back. Keep your center of gravity in your hips and core, not in knees. Maintain height in torso and avoid collapsing your chest. Keep spine neutral. Hold the posture, inhaling to maintain length, and exhaling to sit deeper.
YOU SHOULD FEEL
• Stretch in shoulders
• Engagement of glutes, thighs, lower legs, and core
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
• Your body leaning forward; if so, raise hips higher, flatten back, and sink down again
• Strain in knees; if you do, shift weight to hips
