Garland Pose – Deep Squat for Hip and Ankle Mobility with Kate Heffernan

Garland Pose is a deep squatting position that humans performed effortlessly for millennia—until chairs became our default. For many modern bodies, Malasana reveals just how much mobility we've lost in our hips and ankles. This tutorial teaches you how to access this fundamental position with modifications that meet your body where it is today.

In this practice, Kate Heffernan guides you into Yogic Squat with honest acknowledgment that the full pose isn't accessible for everyone—and that's completely okay. You'll learn multiple entry points: starting with feet wider than hip-width and toes turned out (more accessible for tight hips), using a rolled blanket or wedge under your heels if your ankles lack the dorsiflexion to keep heels down, and sitting on a block or bolster if your hips don't yet allow you to squat low. The tutorial covers the actions that make Garland Pose therapeutic rather than just a struggle: pressing your elbows against your inner knees while your knees press back, lengthening your spine rather than rounding forward, and finding the balance between grounding down and lifting up through your crown. Kate addresses common challenges including knee sensitivity (when to modify or avoid), tight hip adductors, and limited ankle mobility.

This tutorial is perfect for anyone reclaiming the ability to squat deeply, those with desk jobs wanting to restore hip mobility, or practitioners who skip Malasana because it feels impossible. The prop-supported variations make this ancestral position accessible.

Led by Kate Heffernan, whose practical modifications ensure you can work with your body's current reality while gradually building toward fuller expression.