Malasana: The Pose ... Note: While some schools of yoga differentiate between malasana and upavesasana (depending on the width between your feet), for the purpose ...Yoga|YogaTherapyWhatYourMalasana(Squat)CanTellYouAboutYourBodyJennyThomas5min.Malasana:ThePoseNote:Whilesomeschoolsofyogadifferentiatebetweenmalasanaandupavesasana(dependingonthewidthbetweenyourfeet),forthepurposeofthisarticlemalasanareferstoawide-footed,deepsquat.Whyis malasana—alsoreferredtoasgarlandpose, upavesasana(“sittingdownpose”),oradeepsquat—mucheasierforsomethanforothers?Theanswerisn’tsimple,asweallhavedifferentbodyproportions,jointstructures,strengths,weaknesses,areasoftension,andareasofmobility.Becausemalasanaisacomplexpostureinvolvingmanyjointsandmusclegroups,allofthesefactorsplayaroleinhowwelookandfeelinthepose.Thegoodnewsisthatbyexaminingmalasana,youcanlearnmoreaboutyourbody’slimitationsandstrengths,andthenusethisinformationtoenhanceyouroverallpracticeandposture.Let’sfaceit,ifyoudon’tliveinaculturewheresquattingispartofeverydaylife,malasanacanfeelreallyweirdatfirst.Itcantakealongtimetofeelcomfortableinit.However,weperformsquattingmotionseveryday(gettingupoutofachair,sittingdowninacar,orpickingsomethingupoffthefloor),sothisposeisextremelyrelevant.Unfortunately,inWestern(andincreasinglyinEastern)society,ourrelianceonchairs,togetherwithpoorposturalhabits,hasmademalasanamoreandmorechallenging.Haveyouevernoticedhowbabieshaveperfectmalasana/squatform?Whendidwelosethisability?Andhowdowegainitback? Let’sfaceit,ifyoudon’tliveinaculturewheresquattingispartofeverydaylife,malasanacanfeelreallyweirdatfirst.First,let’sexaminewhat’srequiredintheposture.Malasanachallengesthemechanicsoftheentirebody;itrequiresmobilityandstabilityintheankles,knees,hips,pelvis,andspine.Theabilitytoperformthedeepsquatrequiresappropriateclosed-kineticchain(weight-bearing) dorsiflexion oftheankles;kneeandhipflexion;combinedmovementofthelumbarspine(lowerback)andthepelvis;axialextension(lengthening)ofthespine;andslightshoulderfl