Steps
- Step the feet wide and turn the toes out.
- Bend the knees so they point the same way as the toes.
- Hands can rest on the thighs. Sit tall.
- Press the feet down to stand. Shake the legs out.
What this pose may help with
These lines describe why people practice the shape. A pose may help with ordinary stiffness or with settling your attention. They are not claims that the pose treats or cures a condition.
- Strengthens the legs in a turned-out position.
- A hip pose you can do without getting on the floor.
- Useful in short desk-break routines if you have room.
Common mistakes
- Knees collapsing in while the toes stay out.
- Sitting so low the heels lift and the knees complain.
- Rounding the back.
Modifications
- A higher squat. Hands on a chair.
- Heels on a folded blanket if the ankles are stiff.
Safety
- Knee or groin pain: stand higher or skip.
- If you feel unsteady, face a counter and hold it.
- Do not bounce.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana, said OOT-kah-tah koh-NAHS-uh-nuh) is listed here as a Beginner Standing pose. The body area it emphasizes is Hips. A wide squat with the toes turned out and the knees open. Sit only as low as the knees stay happy.
Read the steps in order. Set the pose up before you try to deepen it. The first mistake called out on this page is: Knees collapsing in while the toes stay out. That line is there because the usual error is doing too much, not because a tighter shape is a better practice. The modifications keep the same idea when the full shape does not fit today. Use them on purpose. They are part of the pose, not a demotion.
People practice Goddess Pose for a plain reason: Strengthens the legs in a turned-out position. That “may help” is a description of why the shape is in a beginner library. It is not a claim that the pose treats, cures, or prevents a condition. Knee or groin pain: stand higher or skip.
If you are pregnant, returning from an injury, or your back has been painful, consult a doctor before you practice Goddess Pose. A safety note on a website is education. It is not clearance. Sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or pain that runs down a leg is a reason to stop and get care, not a reason to hold the shape longer. The medical disclaimer on this site says the same thing in more detail.
When you are done, come out slowly. One calm repetition you can repeat tomorrow is the point of the page. Pair Goddess Pose with a short routine from this site if you want a sequence, and keep the timer as a guide you are allowed to pause.