Health Benefits of Malasana (Garland Pose)

If you are suffering from digestion problems and having trouble passing your bowel regularly, you can take the help of yoga asanas. One such asana is Malasana which aims to improve your digestive health and ease your bowel movements. Read along to know more about the benefits of Malasana, how to perform it, and its precautionary measures.

Malasana or Garland Pose is a squatting posture that benefits the digestive system, lower back, and hips. The name of this pose comes from the Sanskrit words 'mala,' meaning garland, and 'asana,' meaning yoga pose.

The Malasana or garland pose has several benefits for your health. Listed below are a few:

1. Helps in Toning the Lower Body

Due to the inactive and sedentary life that most of us lead, our legs gradually lose their strength and suppleness. Moreover, this inactive lifestyle is also responsible for weakening the lower back muscles and abdomen. Malasana is one such effective yoga that helps in toning the entire lower body. This pose works on the legs' calf muscles, quadriceps, and gluteal muscles and lowers the hamstrings. In addition, it also strengthens the core and lower back muscles.

2. Acts as a Powerful Hip Opener

The long 8 to 9 hours shifts in the office require most of us to sit down in one place for a long time. This results in damaging the hips and resulting in declining the health of the spine, body, and back. Regular practice of Malasana results in increased legs, hips, and back mobility. In between your work, take breaks from the chair and practice this pose for a few minutes. In addition, it helps in better blood circulation and keeps your reproductive organs healthy.

3. Helps Maintain Posture

A hunched-down posture leaves a bad impression on people. However, it is a result of poor body awareness. Therefore, practising Malasana will constantly remind you to lift higher, maintain a neutral spine position and keep a straight spine, and ensure your shoulders are pulled back.

4. Increases Range of Motion in Knee and Ankle

The knee and ankle are the two joints that help you improve balance, secure stability, and successfully perform day-to-day activities. Moreover, one of the greatest benefits of Malasana for your body is bone strengthening in the knee and ankle joints. Therefore, it is effective in preventing osteoporosis in later life. Moreover, with regular practice of this asana, you can notice an enhancement in the mobility of joints.

5. Relieves Menstrual Pain

When you find yourself in pain and in an uncomfortable position during your menstruation, you can try practising the Malasana pose. It is beneficial in opening up the hips and the downward energy releases some discomfort and intensity.

Now that you know the benefits of Malasana, you might be wondering how to start with it. So, here is a step-by-step guide for your better understanding.

Step 1: Start squatting with your feet, keeping them as close together as possible. It would be better if you keep your heels on the floor; otherwise, you can keep them on a folded mat.

Step 2: Now, separate your thighs, keeping them slightly wider than your torso. Now keep exhaling and fit your torso snugly between your thighs while leaning forward.

Step 3: In the next step, you need to press your elbows against your knees and bring your palms together in a salutation seal. Press your knees into the elbows as this will help lengthen your front torso.

Step 4: The next step will require you to press your inner thighs against the sides of your torso. Keep your arms forward and throw them out to the sides. Next, notch your shins into your armpits while pressing your fingertips to the floor. You can also try reaching around the outside of your ankles and get a hold of your back heels.

Step 5: You need to hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remember to inhale, straighten your knees and then stand.

A few essential tips that you need before you start practising Malasana are:

1. Ensure that you do not move your hips up or down or bounce while doing this yoga. If you maintain an incorrect hip posture, it can damage and overstrain your knees and hip flexors.
2. Lengthen the front side of your torso, and remember to keep your spine straight throughout.
3. Make slow and smooth movements, and remember not to jerk or pull any movement while doing this asana.
4. Throughout the yoga movement, keep shifting your weight to the heels.

Here are a few precautions and contraindications of the Malasana that you must be aware of:

• Remember to practice this asana with an empty stomach. So, it is better if you perform this in the morning on an empty stomach, or you can do it by keeping a gap of at least 4 hours after a meal.
• While doing this yoga, do not put your entire weight on your heels or toes. This is not good for your feet. Instead, you need to spread the whole body weight evenly throughout your whole feet.
• Keep in mind to perform it for a limited time and do it gently. Do not overstrain yourself in a single session.
• Get into the position of this yoga gently and slowly; avoid hurrying while performing this asana.
• If you have chronic knee or lower back pain, do not perform Malasana, as it can be painful.
• In addition to having knee or lower back pain, if you have any other medical conditions related to your hips, legs, or spine, consult your doctor before doing this asana.
• If you underwent any recent injury on your hips, knees, back, feet or ankle, it would be better if you do not practise this asana at all.
• Do not practice this asana immediately after running. The tissues around your ankles, knees and calves are heated up after running, so it would not be wise to put pressure on them.

The Malasana pose might be challenging for a few to master in one go. However, with regular practice, it will become easier to do. If you find it extremely challenging to perform this asana in one go, here are some ways you can modify the pose according to your comfort levels:

• There will be chances where you see that your heels come up while doing this pose. So, keep a folded blanket under your feet for added support and balance.
• You can also try placing a yoga block under each of your feet to make this yoga pose more comfortable and easy to do.
• As a beginner, you can do this pose against the wall so that you get better support.
• You must remember that getting into the correct posture is essential for this pose. So you can take the help of any yoga master or your friend or family to get into the correct posture.
• To get more benefits from the Garland pose, you can try placing one hand firmly on the floor, keeping it between your feet. Then, in the next step, raise your other hand upwards while you twist your torso.