3 Ways to Improve Yogi Squat

3 ways to improve

You can’t read about the yogi squat without reading what a great functional exercise it is, and how it should be a stable in your exercise list. This is all true, but it also an exercise which for many women requires prep work first. It is also an exercise which may require you to be quite conscious with how you transition in and out of it. This blog has 3 ways to include your yogi squat

The yogi squat can massively increase your flexibility in and around your hips and low spine, if you do it often enough. However, it also requires flexibility to get safely in and out of the pose. It’s one of the poses in yoga that if I do it in a class, by that time I have gotten comfortably into the pose, the teacher is cueing to come out of it!

The yogi squat is held from 30 secs to to a few minutes in Yin Yoga, which has quite a different vibe to completing a set of reps on the gym floor or Pilates class

Here are 3 things you can do to help you get into the position and enjoy 😊 this pose.

Ankle flexibility Many women have limited ankle flexibility from wearing heels and fashionable shoes, so a good place to start is a calf stretch (click here for blog on ankle flexibility). Including an ankle stretch before you start your yogi squat can help get into alignment easier

Knee flexibility

Your knee is deeply flexed in the yogi squat, and you may not know that these muscles around you knee are tight until you try to get into the pose.

A quad stretch beforehand is a good way to ease into this pose. There are lots of quad stretch options I personally find the side lying version the easiest to get into and adjust to get a good stretch around my knee joint. Your quads are a group of 4 muscles – the name is a bit of a giveaway – so worth spending a bit of time here to get a good stretch.

Props There are a couple of options depending how and where you are feeling tension. I usually roll my mat up about a quarter of the way and use that to support my ankle position. You can use blocks under your heels to too. Both will help with ankle positioning Sitting on a block or brick can help with tension in the hips – just keep flipping it around until you get the right height for you.
Bonus If you spend your days sitting this might be a good one to do first thing in the morning rather than after sitting all day. Or if it is at the end of the day, you might want to build in a few more stretches to help get into good alignment.

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Samantha Valand is a Pilates teacher, Yoga Instructor and Personal Trainer. Who helps over fifties women fall in love with exercising again after the menopause. You can find some inspiration over on the blog If you are interested how coaching can help you can start here. Samantha has a free monthly newsletter to help you live healthy ever after.