PHOTOS: KATRINE NALEID; MODEL: CHAD HERST; STYLIST: LYN HEINEKEN; GROOMING: TAMARA BROWN/ARTIST UNTIEDand working against the tendency to exag-
gerate the arch of the spine as you reach
up and back with the arms. Whew! Sound
like a lot? That’s the point of Chair Pose:
You learn to handle many actions all at the
same time for what feels like way too long.
It’s helpful to practice Chair in two
parts. First, practice the pose with the
lower half of your body. Before adding the
arms, work on bending your knees toward
a right angle while shifting your weight
back into your heels. Then, stand tall in
Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and work on
extending your straight arms up and over-
head without letting your rib cage jut for-
ward or your back overarch. Finally, you
can bring all the elements together into
a cohesive and powerful whole. Unite the
work of the legs and arms by bringing your
awareness to your torso as you lift your
core muscles and lengthen your spine.
If you commit to a steady practice, you
will gain stamina in this pose after a few
months. When you take a break from your
practice, it might feel as if all of your prog-
ress is gone once you return to the mat. If
this is your situation—if your muscles are
burning in Chair and it’s a sweaty struggle
of will—don’t be discouraged. The pose
is teaching you its most important lesson
and a key concept in yoga: Steady prac-
tice over time is better than occasional,
intense spurts. It’s worth maintaining a
regular daily practice rather than feeling
like you have to start all over again each
time you do a pose. Consistency in yoga
yields deep and lasting results. ✤
Annie Carpenter leads classes and trainings
and mentors teachers at Exhale Center for
Sacred Movement in Venice, California.
SET IT UP
❉ Stand with your back
against a wall and your
hands on your hips.
❉ Step your feet about
2 feet from the wall and
bend your knees into a right
angle, as though you were
sitting in a chair.
❉ Adjust your feet so that
your shins are perpendicular
to them, with your knees
stacked above your ankles.
REFINE As you exhale,
press your heels strongly
into the floor until you
feel your calves and ham -
strings engage. Maintain
the strength in your legs
and observe the back of
your body making contact
with the wall. The backs of
your pelvis, your ribs, your
shoulders, and your head
will touch the wall, while the
lower back and neck will
tend to curve away from it.
If you feel your hips tipping
forward away from the wall,
exaggerating the curve
in your lower back, use your
hands to redirect the hip
points into an upright align-
ment. Activate your lower
belly to sustain this position.
The action feels like drawing
up a zipper from the pubic
bone toward your navel. Use
just the right amount of
effort. Don’t go so far as totuck your tailbone, which
will flatten your lower back.
FINISH Your thighs are
probably burning by now,
but try to stay strong and
maintain good posture for
several deep breaths. On
an inhalation, straighten
your legs and rest.Power up your
lower bodyTry these modifications to optimize the pose for your body.Fe e t Practicing
with your feet
together will help
awak en your inner
thigh muscles,
but if you’re feel-
ing unsteady, try
stepping your feet
hip-width apart.Adjust yourself
Arms This pose
demands stam-
ina. If you feel
winded, try prac-
ticing with your
arms straight out
in front or down
by your sides.Knees Shift
your weight back
toward your
heels to keep
your knees safe.
Make sure your
knees don’t
extend forward
past your toes.Chest Lift your
chest up and
away from your
thighs. It helps to
imagine leaning
your whole torso
against the wall
behind you.Neck Keep your
head and neck
in line with the
rest of your
spine. In stead of
looking up, rest
your gaze on the
floor a few feet
in front of you.Work your legs
in a deep squat
while keeping
your spine long.STEP 1warming
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