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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss chair pose (utkatasana), squats (malasana), and the common alignment questions and confusions that arise about these poses.

Points of discussion include:

The anatomy and biomechanics of chair pose
The differences and similarities between yoga’s chair pose and the strength world’s squat
Variations of chair pose
Is a bodyweight yoga practice a good way to build strength for chair pose?
The difference between a knee-dominant or hip-dominant chair pose and why you might choose one over the other
Jenni’s personal evolution about chair pose alignment in her yoga teaching over time
Is knees over toes an injurious alignment? In chair pose? In squats in the gym? In yoga’s standing poses like warrior 1 and lunges?
Should we tuck or untuck our tailbone in chair pose?
Does “buttwink” in a squat matter?
What’s the correct foot width in chair pose?
In twisting chair pose, should the knees stay flush, or should one knee track forward of the other?
…And much more!