It may not be one of the best-known yoga positions, but we promise that Malasana, also known as Garland Pose, is excellent at strengthening the hips and building balance!
What is Malasana? Well, it’s basically squats. You start in a standing pose with hands at your heart center. Find your balance and slowly drop until your butt is hovering just above the floor and your knees are up at the chest.
Malasana grounds you, while stretching your pelvis and strengthening your spine. But it’s also really beneficial to your waist, your thighs, your calves and shins, your knees and your feet. We spend a lot of time on our feet during the day – but how often you do pay attention to them during your yoga practice?
Like many yoga poses, Malasana can be done with props. If you are unable to squat all the way to the floor, you can bolster yourself with a pillow or blocks. You can also support yourself as you drop, and as you rise back again, using a hand against the wall, the edge of a counter top or chair.
The name Malasana begins with the word MALA, representative of the 108-bead string that is used during meditation and chanting. Mala is the cycle of life and the Universe, creation, and reflects the support of the Earth in our daily lives.
Malasana is a great pose to incorporate into any yoga practice because it not only strengthens all those parts of the body named above, but it also creates space in spinal column and lumbar spine. And it releases energy that may be stuck around the hips, legs, and low back.
And as an added benefit, Malasana also aids in digestion, helping things move freely! So the next time someone suggests squats, breathe deeply, and drop with a smile.