Chair Pose (Utkatasana): How To Do It, Step By Step
Chair pose (Utkatasana): the short answer
Chair pose is a standing pose where you bend your knees and sit back as if onto an invisible chair, with your arms reaching up. It builds strong legs, ankles and knees, and it builds stamina fast. In Iyengar yoga we keep the heels down, the chest lifted and the arms straight, and beginners can do chair pose with a real chair behind them.
Here is the whole page in short form.
- Sit back, not down: heels heavy, knees bent
- Arms straight up, in line with the ears
- Chest lifts back, belly does not push out
- Beginners: a chair behind you or a wall
- Dr J. T. Shah, a medical doctor who was also an Iyengar yoga teacher, who worked closely with Mr BKS Iyengar for many years, calls it the Powerful Pose and lists it for stamina
- Learn it in class, in Darwin or LIVE online
Chair pose: English and Sanskrit names
| English name | Chair Pose |
| Other English names | Powerful Pose (Dr Shah’s name), Fierce Pose, Awkward Pose |
| Sanskrit name | Utkatasana (oot-kah-TAHS-ana) |
| What the Sanskrit means | Utkata means powerful or fierce |
| Pose type | Standing pose |
| Level | Beginner. Dr Shah marks it easy. |
Chair pose on a Darwin beach
Chris Lalor in chair pose: feet together, heels down, arms straight up in line with the ears.
How do you do chair pose?
These are the chair pose steps we teach, in plain order.
- Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), feet together or hip-width apart, toes pointing forward.
- Breathe in and stretch your arms straight up, palms facing each other. Keep the arms in line with your ears.
- Breathe out, bend your knees and sit back, as if lowering onto a chair.
- Go down until your thighs are close to level with the floor, or as far as your knees are happy.
- Keep your heels pressing down and your weight towards them.
- Lift your chest back and up. Draw the lower belly in and lengthen the tailbone down.
- Stay for a few breaths, breathing normally.
- Breathe in and stand up straight. Breathe out and lower your arms.
That is how to do chair pose. Repeat two or three times rather than holding one long, wobbly go.
Chair pose for beginners, with a chair behind you
A real chair behind you takes the fear out of sitting back. Touch it lightly, do not sit on it.
For chair pose for beginners, put a chair behind you and sit back until your buttocks just touch the seat. You learn to send the hips back without worrying about falling. You can also stand with your back near a wall, or keep your hands on your hips.
What props help in chair pose?
- A chair behind you, to sit back towards.
- A wall, to slide down with your back, or to rest your hands on.
- A block between the thighs, held gently, so the knees do not splay or knock.
- A folded mat edge under the heels if the heels keep lifting.
- Wall ropes, in the studio, to hold while you sit back.
Our beginner prop pack and blanket and block pack cover the block and blankets. See also yoga blocks.
What mistakes should you avoid in chair pose?
- Heels lifting. Keep the weight back towards the heels.
- Knees rolling in or out. Keep them pointing the same way as the toes.
- Bent arms. Straighten the elbows and reach up from the sides of the chest.
- Belly pushing out and the lower back arching. Draw the belly in and the tailbone down.
- Shrugging. Let the shoulders move away from the ears as the arms rise.
- Holding the breath. Dr Shah’s steps say to breathe normally.
Chair pose at home
Chair pose at home: a mat and a little floor space is all you need.
Who should take care in chair pose?
- Sore knees. Go less low and use the chair behind you. Do not force yourself into any pose (Dr J. T. Shah, Therapeutic Yoga, p. xiii).
- Serious bone, joint, heart or lung problems. Dr Shah says to modify the poses with an experienced teacher (Therapeutic Yoga, p. xiii). Tell your teacher and we will adjust it.
- Breath. Keep breathing normally throughout, as in his steps (Therapeutic Yoga, p. 5).
What are the benefits of chair pose?
Benefits, as Dr Shah shows them
Dr J. T. Shah was a medical doctor who worked with Mr BKS Iyengar. His book Therapeutic Yoga carries a foreword by Mr Iyengar and colour-codes every pose by the body systems it works on. He calls this pose the Powerful Pose. This is a doctor’s teaching from long practice, not a trial result.
Body systems he marks for chair pose: the muscles, the spine, the joints, body fat and the pelvic organs. His front chart lists it among the poses for the muscular system, to increase stamina (p. xvi).
What he says it does, in our words:
- Strengthens the arms and legs, the belly and the diaphragm (the main breathing muscle).
- Strengthens the feet and toes.
- Tones the spine.
- Builds the joints. In his words, it
strengthens ankle, knee, hip and shoulder joints
. - Trims fat from the thighs and calves.
- Massages the pelvic organs.
- In his two words, it
improves stamina
.
What he lists it for: weak legs and belly muscles, a weak spine, arthritis of the arms and legs, extra weight, and bladder, womb, ovary and prostate problems.
Source: Dr J. T. Shah, Therapeutic Yoga (foreword by Mr BKS Iyengar), p. 5.
In our experience chair pose builds leg strength quickly, and stronger legs make getting up from a chair or the floor easier. It is well worth trying. Not every effect Dr Shah lists has been tested in modern trials yet, and not yet tested is not the same as wrong.
What does Iyengar yoga teach about chair pose?
Flametree teaches in the Iyengar yoga style. During the 20th century, Mr BKS Iyengar was the major person who codified traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his widespread teaching. He also pioneered the use of props, so more people can do more poses well. His style is sometimes called modern classical yoga.
In class, chair pose sits among the standing poses, which build strong legs and steady balance before anything else. The detail matters: straight arms, heels down, the chest lifted. A teacher can see what you cannot feel, such as one knee drifting in.
See also yoga or Iyengar yoga: what is the difference?
Where to go next
- Related poses: Tree Pose, Warrior II, deep squat, standing yoga poses and yoga for strength
- Guides from our yoga for health conditions encyclopaedia: hip and knee pain, arthritis, stiff joints and weight and stress eating
- Back to all yoga poses, or the longer pose and practice notes
Learn chair pose with a teacher in Darwin or LIVE online
- New to yoga? Half price beginner classes, plus 2 free
- Done yoga before, or away 3 months or more? 2 free classes, then 10 non-beginner classes at half price
- Beginner timetable and group or private classes
Follow us on Facebook for pose tips.
Chair pose: your questions
What is chair pose called in Sanskrit?
Utkatasana. Utkata means powerful or fierce, which is why Dr Shah calls it the Powerful Pose.
What muscles does chair pose work?
Mainly the thighs, buttocks and calves, plus the belly, the back and the shoulders. Dr Shah also lists the feet, toes and diaphragm.
How long should you hold chair pose?
A few breaths, then come up and repeat two or three times. Build up slowly while the heels stay down and the breath stays easy.
Should my feet be together in chair pose?
In the classic pose the feet are together. Beginners can stand with the feet hip-width apart, which is steadier.
Is chair pose good for beginners?
Yes. Dr Shah marks it as an easy pose. Start with a chair behind you or your back near a wall.
Is chair pose good for your knees?
Dr Shah says it strengthens the ankle, knee and hip joints. If your knees are sore, go less low and use the chair behind you.
Why do my heels lift in chair pose?
Usually the weight has gone into the toes. Sit back further, or put a folded mat edge under the heels.
What are the benefits of chair pose?
Stronger legs, feet and joints, a toned spine and more stamina. Dr Shah lists it for weak legs, a weak spine and arthritis of the limbs.
Where can I learn chair pose in Darwin?
Come to a Flametree class in Darwin or LIVE online. Start with the half price beginner deal, or the starter deal if you have done yoga before.
Last updated: 4 November 2026. General information, not medical advice.
