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Garland Pose

Difficulty: ⭐ Beginnersquat

Home Setup

Practice on any comfortable surface; use a folded towel or cushion under heels if they don't reach the floor

Folded towelCushion or pillowBook or thick magazine

💡 Pro tip: Place a rolled towel under your heels to maintain balance and gradually work toward getting heels flat on the ground

Gym Setup

Yoga mat with optional yoga blocks or folded blankets for heel support

Safety: Avoid if you have knee injuries or severe ankle limitations; keep weight distributed evenly through feet

💪 Muscles Worked

Hip AdductorsGlutesQuadricepsAnklesLower Back

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Garland Pose deeply stretches the hips, groin, and ankles while strengthening the lower back and improving digestion through gentle compression of the abdomen. This grounding posture prepares the body for meditation, relieves lower back tension, and can help improve balance and proprioception while opening the pelvic floor.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Supported Garland with Heel Lift

yoga block + folded blanket

Reduces ankle flexibility requirement and makes balance easier

2. Wide-Stance Garland

none

Decreases hip and ankle mobility demands by widening foot position

3. Seated on Block Garland

yoga block + bolster

Provides support under hips to reduce depth requirement and strain

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Garland Pose with Arm Bind

none

Adds shoulder flexibility and deeper spinal rotation challenge

2. Garland to Crow Pose Transition

none

Incorporates arm balance and core strength from the squat position

3. Extended Garland Pose

none

Deepens the fold by bringing chest closer to thighs and extending arms forward

↕️ Similar Movements

Yogi Squat
Alternative name for the same pose with slight variations in hand placement
Child's Pose
Complementary resting pose that also stretches hips and lower back
Bound Angle Pose
Seated hip opener that targets similar groin and inner thigh muscles
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Standing variation that opens hips and hamstrings with similar benefits
Crow Pose
Natural progression that builds from the garland squat position into arm balance

Form Checklist

✓Keep feet as close together as comfortable, toes pointing slightly outward
✓Press elbows actively into inner knees to open hips wider
✓Lengthen spine and lift chest while keeping shoulders relaxed away from ears
✓Ground down through all four corners of both feet
✓Draw tailbone toward floor while engaging lower belly

Common Mistakes

  • •Lifting heels too high off the ground, causing instability and reduced stretch
  • •Rounding the spine excessively instead of maintaining length through the torso
  • •Allowing knees to collapse inward instead of pressing them open with elbows
  • •Holding tension in shoulders and neck rather than keeping them relaxed
  • •Placing weight too far forward on toes instead of distributing evenly through feet

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can comfortably hold the pose for 1-2 minutes with heels flat on the ground, maintain an upright spine without strain, and feel stable and grounded throughout the position