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Yogi squat is one of the best hip openers you will find. Often dubbed “the pose of youth”, this position tells you a lot about how young (or how old) your body is. As we age, we often neglect movement that includes larger range of motion. Our strides get short and, in turn, a walking stride starts to resemble more of a shuffle.
This is due to tight hip flexors and hip joints in general. When these areas are short and tight, you are unable to take a longer stride. In addition, weak glutes add to the whole picture. If these symptoms sound familiar, you should learn how to do yogi squat pose.
When you first go into yogi squat, don’t expect it to look like the picture you see. If you are tight around your hips, it may take some time and plenty of tries in order for you to get low in this pose. Keep trying! Keep working at it! You will benefit from the ability to get deep and stretch your legs wider.
An important factor in getting deep in this pose is knee health. If you have had surgery or any injuries to your knees, this may prevent you from squatting down low. If that is the case, modify the pose by staying up a bit higher and finding a position that works WITH your knees, not against them.
Also, be sure to keep more weight through your heels. This will transfer the pressure away from the knees and into the glutes.
Yogi squat can be uncomfortable when you are very tight in your hips. Once you begin to practice this position a few times, you will notice it begin to feel more tolerable and, with any luck, one day you will look forward to sitting into this pose for longer periods of time because it feels so good!
Use these links to quickly navigate this guide:
- How To Do Yogi Squat
- What Muscles Does Yogi Squat Work?
- Benefits of Yogi Squat
- How Many Calories Does Yogi Squat Work?
- Other Exercises Similar To Yogi Squat
- Incorporating Yogi Squat Into Your Workout
How To Do Yogi Squat
1) Begin on feet, crouched down with tailbone between ankles and hands in prayer at chest.
2) Continue to press hands firmly together while at the same time pressing elbows against inner thighs.
3) Hold and breathe for 30 seconds.
What Muscles Does Yogi Squat Work?
Yogi Squat is a yoga pose that stretches and opens up your hips and lower back. It’s an amazing pose that can and should be done both before and after a workout or as part of a yoga practice.
Benefits of Yogi Squat
There are many reasons you should incorporate Yogi Squat into your workouts. Here are just a few:
Stretch and Open The Hips
Whether you exercise frequently or spend most of the day sitting, hips and hip flexors are a tight spot on the body. Yogi Squat will be difficult to get into if you are extremely tight. However, once you work through it and can settle into the pose, you will want to do it every day!
Stronger Legs
Getting in and out of Yogi Squat requires leg strength in the quadriceps and hamstrings as well as the glutes. Even being in the isometric position of holding Yogi Squat will require an amount of strength from your leg muscles.
Stretch and Release Lower Back
Yogi Squat is an excellent way to stretch and release your lower back. Sitting in the pose and breathing helps the muscles of the back open up and let go.
How Many Calories Does Yogi Squat Burn?
People often ask how many calories they are burning in their workouts. Most exercises will generally burn about 100 calories for every 10 minutes you are working at moderate to high intensity. Yogi Squat is a stationary yoga pose, not meant to be a big calorie burn by itself. However, in the context of a yoga practice, the rule above applies! Yoga can be a great way to burn calories.
Other Exercises Similar to Yogi Squat
If you like Yogi Squat and the results you are getting, here are a few more yoga poses you might want to try.
Incorporating Yogi Squat Into Your Workouts
Yogi Squat is a great exercise all on its own! However, you could also incorporate Yogi Squat into other workouts to mix them up. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Use Yogi Squat As a Post Workout Stretch
Any workout you do is going to require a great stretch at the end to get your muscles released and prepared for the next time you exercise. Yogi Squat is a great stretch to use following a workout of any kind.
Post-Workout Stretch
This stretch routine includes yogi squat and gives you an overall great way to finish any workout. Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds.
Crescent Lunge on Knee – Right
Use Yogi Squat in a Yoga Workout
Yoga is known for building strength and calm as well as stretching your muscles and connective tissue. Yogi Squat is an amazing pose to incorporate into your yoga practice. Check it out in our Day Starter Yoga Workout:
Day Starter Yoga Workout
This invigorating yoga sequence is a great way to wake up and start the day! All you need is a mat or a little space to move.
Start by standing in Mountain Pose with your eyes closed and take 5 deep breaths. Then flow between mountain and Yogi Squat 5 times.
Then step wide and go down into Sun God and lift up 5 times with deep breaths.
Move back to Mountain Pose and flow through the following 5 times:
Step your feet through and sit down and do each of the following for 3-5 breaths:
Now go and enjoy a day full of energy!!!!
Use Yogi Squat in a Strength Workout
Yogi Squat can be used in a strengthening workout. In fact, you can add a bicep curl to a yogi squat and be stretching your hips, strengthening your legs and biceps all at the same time.
At Home Strength Challenge
Grab a medium pair of dumbbells and go from one move directly to the next
Arnold Press – 10 reps
Tricep Dips – 12 reps
Shoulder Tap Push Ups – 12 reps
Squat Thruster– 12 Reps (alternating)
Yogi Squat with Bicep Curl – 12 Reps
Overhead Shoulder Press – 12 Reps
Overhead Pulls – 12 Reps
Renegade Rows – 12 Reps (alternating)
Here are 3 more workouts that incorporate Yogi Squat:
6 Yoga Poses To Relieve Tight Hips
