Yogi Squat Defined

What Is Malasana?

The Sanskrit word mala means "garland" or "necklace," and asana means "pose." The name refers to the way practitioners traditionally draped their arms behind their back like a garland in the full expression. In contemporary yoga, the pose is usually practiced with palms together at the heart, which is technically a variation but has become the standard form.

Watch young children play and you'll see them drop into Malasana effortlessly. It's a natural human resting position—or at least it was, until modern life confined most of us to chairs. People in many parts of the world still squat this way for resting, eating, working, and socializing. In the West, most adults have lost the hip, ankle, and lower back flexibility to squat comfortably.

Reclaiming Malasana is about more than flexibility. It's about reconnecting with a fundamental movement pattern that humans evolved to use. The pose has practical benefits for hip mobility, pelvic floor health, and spinal alignment—but it also carries something elemental: the grounded feeling of being low to the earth.

Setting Up the Pose

Finding Your Squat

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes turned out about 45 degrees (adjust based on what your body allows). Bend your knees and lower your hips toward the floor, aiming to bring them lower than your knees. Keep your heels down if possible.

Upper Body Position

Bring your palms together at heart center (Anjali Mudra). Press your elbows gently against your inner knees while pressing your knees back against your elbows. This reciprocal pressure opens the hips further and helps you maintain length in the spine.

Spine and Head

Keep the spine as upright as possible, lengthening through the crown of the head. The tendency is to round forward—resist this by lifting the sternum and drawing the shoulders back. Your gaze is forward and soft.

Why the Pose Matters

• Opens the hips — The deep flexion stretches the outer hips, inner thighs, and groin in ways that offset the effects of sitting
• Supports pelvic floor health — The position lengthens and releases the pelvic floor muscles, important for both men and women
• Improves ankle mobility — The dorsiflexion required maintains range of motion that modern footwear often restricts
• Grounds and centers — Being low to the earth with a wide base creates a visceral sense of stability and presence
• Prepares for sitting meditation — The hip opening supports comfortable seated postures

Variations

Supported Malasana

Sit on a block placed at its lowest height between your feet. This reduces the depth of the squat and is useful for those still building the flexibility to hold the unsupported pose.

With a Forward Fold

Instead of keeping the spine upright, allow the torso to fold forward between the thighs. This variation emphasizes the hip and groin opening more than the back extension.

Arms Behind Back (Traditional)

The classical expression involves wrapping the arms behind the back and clasping the hands, which adds a shoulder stretch but requires more flexibility and balance.

Common Challenges

Heels Won't Touch the Ground

Tight calves and limited ankle dorsiflexion cause this. Use heel support and practice regularly—this improves over time with consistent effort.

Knees Hurt

Knee discomfort often comes from taking the hips too low too fast, or from knees tracking inward. Keep knees pressing out over the toes, and don't force depth.

Lower Back Rounds

If you can't maintain spinal length, use a block under your sit bones or focus on hip opening work before attempting the full pose.

Using Malasana in Practice

Malasana appears in vinyasa sequences as a transitional position, in yin practice as a longer hold, and in prenatal yoga for its pelvic benefits. It's also valuable as a resting position during the day—try squatting while reading, talking on the phone, or waiting. The pose becomes easier the more often you use it.