A Yoga Instructor’s Guide
One of the most common questions that I get as a yoga instructor both in and outside my classes, is ‘how do I squat deeper’? It’s fascinating to see how modern life has led many of us to struggle with one of the most natural ways of grounding and resetting our bodies.
In yoga, the deep squat is known as Malãsana, where “mal” (मल) loosely translates to waste products of the body[1]. It is the most primitive way, and a healthier way, of going to the toilet[2]. The deep squat is meant to be a restorative pose, where we feel nurtured, grounded, and comfortable. Yet so many of us find that this basic movement feels awkward and painful.
What Prevents Us From Enjoying The Deep Squat?
Often, people assume that the key to squatting deeper lies in increasing the range of motion in their ankles. By the time most people reach their 20s, they notice a significant loss of ankle mobility[3]. However, what they might overlook is that the body compensates by recruiting other parts. This means that by the time this observation is made, movement patterns have already shifted, causing undue stress on other areas like the hips. By the time most people reach their 30s, they lose hip mobility, leading their spine to compensate and putting stress on the lower back. In their 40s, both the lower back and neck are often exhausted from these compensations.
Essentially, unnatural movement patterns and unaddressed imbalances hinder us from fully enjoying the squat.
The Proper Way To Squat
The beauty of Malãsana, is that it requires every part of the body to function as it was designed to, with no part overcompensating for another. You truly experience the restorative benefits of Malãsana when your feet are hip-distance apart, your hips are heavy, your knees track over your toes, your torso remains upright, and your elbows rest inside your knees. Being able to breathe easily in this pose has become a good indicator of one’s body intelligence and overall fitness.
Tips To Squat Deeper
One of the most empowering aspects of yoga is Niyama, which encourages you to check in with yourself, notice imbalances, and listen to your body to find the right solution. Though it requires hard work and isn’t for the faint-hearted, it is incredibly rewarding. Here are some steps to improve your deep squat:
1. Measure Your Squat – The Wall Squat
- Stand about a foot away from the wall. Jump up as high as you can and the position in which your feet land is your starting point. Turn your toes outward by 45 degrees.
- Bring your hands up over your head and onto the wall. Squat down as deeply as you can by bringing your hands to a T-position for balance.
- Focus on pushing out with your knees and down with your toes.
- As you progress, move your feet closer to the wall.
2. Focus on Whole Body Mobility
Cat-Camel Variation For Better Squats
- Start in a quadrupled position (on your hands and knees) and then lower your forearms to the ground.
- Lift one knee a couple of inches off the ground, moving through the hip joint, and flex your foot inward. Hold this position for a 2-3 breaths.
- Exhale into Cow Position: Exhale and transition into a cow position by moving from the hip joint and bringing your raised knee to the outside of the leg that’s on the ground.
- Inhale into Cat Position: Inhale and move into a cat position by shifting through the hip joint and dropping your knee to the other side.
- Perform 8 to 12 repetitions on each side.
- Maintain Stability: Ensure that your knee stays a few inches off the ground on either side and your hips remain stable, limiting their movement sideways.
Squat-to-Stand
- Come back to your starting position, standing with your feet at least shoulder-width apart and turning outwards by 45 degrees.
- Bend forward at the hips and reach down to touch your toes. Grab a hold of your big toes with your peace fingers and thumb and hold here for a couple of breaths.
- Squat down deeply, keeping your chest up and your back straight. Ensure your elbows are inside of your knees and stay here for a couple of breaths
- Stand up by straightening your legs and returning to the starting position.
Alternating Sky-Squat Reaches
- Come back to your starting position, standing with your feet atleast shoulder-width apart and turning outwards by 45 degrees.
- Squat down deeply, keeping your chest up and your back straight.
- Grab a hold of your ankles. Lift your right hand and reach it towards the sky, twisting your torso to the right. Hold this for 2-3 breaths.
- Return your right hand to your ankle and lift your left hand, reaching it up towards the sky, twisting your torso to the left. Hold this for 2-3 breaths.
- Repeat the alternating reaches for a 8-12 repetitions, focusing on keeping your hips stable and your movements controlled.
3. Build Volume
Stop treating squatting as just an exercise and incorporate it into your daily routine. While watching TV, waiting for the kettle to boil, or even scrolling on your phone, practice squatting. Gradually increase your squat duration from 10 seconds to 3 minutes a day.
Reclaiming the deep squat is about more than just mobility—it’s about reconnecting with your body’s natural movement patterns. By incorporating mindful practice, mobility work, and daily squatting habits, you can restore balance, reduce strain, and experience the true benefits of Malãsana. The journey may take time, but with patience and consistency, you’ll find yourself squatting deeper, moving better, and feeling stronger.
Sources
[1] Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch
[2] Modi RM, Hinton A, Pinkhas D, Groce R, Meyer MM, Balasubramanian G, Levine E, Stanich PP. Implementation of a Defecation Posture Modification Device: Impact on Bowel Movement Patterns in Healthy Subjects. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2019 Mar;53(3):216-219. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000001143. PMID: 30346317; PMCID: PMC6382038.
[3] Bok SK, Lee TH, Lee SS. The effects of changes of ankle strength and range of motion according to aging on balance. Ann Rehabil Med. 2013 Feb;37(1):10-6. doi: 10.5535/arm.2013.37.1.10. Epub 2013 Feb 28. PMID: 23525655; PMCID: PMC3604218.
All Photos by Rukmini Jonnalagadda
