For tight hips: What Malasana can reveal about your mobility

If you’ve ever dropped into Malasana, or Garland Pose, and felt your heels lift, your knees wobble, or your lower back round while you quietly wondered why something so ordinary feels so hard, you’re far from alone. It’s easy to blame “tight hips” and move on. But research suggests the story is a little more interesting than that. Malasana is essentially a deep squat, and according to PubMed Central, research on squat depth points to ankle dorsiflexion range, hip flexion range, and dorsiflexor strength as areas worth improving for better squat performance, so this pose isn’t only testing your hips. Here’s what Malasana can actually reveal about your mobility, and why it’s worth paying attention to what stops you first.