Garland / Deep Squat

Chasing heels-down at any cost often means sacrificing a long spine, letting the torso collapse forward and round instead. A rounded spine with the heels lifted onto a support is a more honest, more useful version of this pose for most students than a flat-footed squat with a caved chest.

To reclaim a deep, grounded squat with an upright spine, supporting hip and ankle mobility that daily life rarely asks for anymore.

1. 1From standing, step the feet slightly wider than hip-width, toes turned out slightly.
2. 2Bend the knees and sink the hips low, coming to a full squat.
3. 3Bring the hands to heart center, and press the elbows gently against the inner knees, encouraging them to track out over the toes.
4. 4Lengthen the spine up, lifting the chest rather than letting it collapse toward the knees.
5. 5Let the heels reach toward the floor without forcing them down at the expense of the spine's length.
6. 6Stay for several breaths, letting the hips soften lower over time.

Instead of searching for the “correct” position, notice:

• •Spine as long as possible, chest lifted, not rounding forward to compensate for tight ankles or hips.
• •Knees tracking in the same direction as the toes, not caving inward.
• •Weight even between the front and back of the feet.
• •Shoulders relaxed away from the ears despite the effort of the pose.

A slow, steady breath supports the release this pose is after. Rushing the breath here often means rushing the hips, which tends to produce gripping rather than genuine opening.

The spine is what to check, before the heels. A flat-footed squat with a badly rounded back is teaching the body something less useful than a supported squat with a long spine and the heels lifted on a blanket. Offer the height support proactively rather than waiting for a student to ask.

Reflect after practising:

• •If your heels don't reach the floor, that's an ankle mobility story, not a failure. Support them and let the rest of the pose do its work.
• •This is a pose that tends to change slowly, over months, not within one class. Patience truly pays off here.

Rather than mistakes, you may notice:

• •Practice with the heels supported on a rolled blanket or the edge of a block, which allows the spine to stay long while the ankles build mobility over time.
• •Hold onto a stable surface, like a doorframe or a partner's hands, to allow the torso to lean back slightly and counterbalance the squat, making it easier to sink lower with a long spine.

• •Heels lifted on a rolled blanket or block for anyone whose ankles don't yet allow a flat-footed squat.
• •Hands holding onto a stable surface in front for extra support while sinking down.
• •A block under the sitting bones for a supported, seated version of the same shape.

• ✓Press through the feet to rise to standing, or sit down onto the floor with control if the squat was held for a while and the legs need a moment.