Garland Pose — Heels Elevated

Quick Intro

Malasana — Heels on Support (Garland Pose — Heels Elevated in English) is a yoga exercise performed like Malasana, with a rolled mat or wedge placed under both heels so they can stay lifted through the squat without straining the ankles.

Equipment Needed

Malasana — Heels on Support needs a rolled mat, towel or wedge for under the heels. A yoga mat is optional as well underneath the feet.

Why Malasana — Heels on Support Matters

The inner thigh (adductors) and hip flexors (iliopsoas) still open the same way they do in the base squat, and the seat (gluteus maximus) still keeps the torso from collapsing forward. What changes is the ankle: with the heels lifted onto support, the deep squat demand shifts almost entirely onto the hips, removing the ankle dorsiflexion that limits many people in the flat-footed version.

Flexibility is the main demand, a little below the base pose since the lifted heels ease the overall depth.

When to Do It

Malasana — Heels on Support works well as the entry point into this pose for anyone whose heels lift off the floor in the unsupported version, since the added support removes that specific limitation entirely. Most sessions introducing this deep squat for the first time can start here.

Heels that lift off the floor the moment the squat gets deep. The support removes the ankle demand directly, letting the hips settle into the same deep position.
Ankle stiffness from long periods of sitting or standing in shoes. This version delivers the hip opening of the pose without waiting on ankle mobility to catch up.
A first attempt at any deep squat hold. Starting with support makes the position considerably more approachable right away.

For most people whose ankles limit a flat-footed deep squat, this supported version is the more sensible starting point, and it exists to isolate the hip opening this pose is built around.

Getting Ready

A few slow ankle circles and a couple of easy squats prepare the joints even though this version reduces the ankle demand. Placing the support under where the heels will land, then testing the height while standing, previews the setup this version depends on.

Let the heels rest fully on the support, not just hover above it. The goal is to remove ankle strain entirely, not to add a balance challenge.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The setup. Place a rolled mat or wedge on the floor where the heels will land.

2. The stance. Stand with the feet wider than hip-width, heels resting on the support.

3. The squat. Sink the hips down into a deep squat, bending both knees fully.

4. The press. Settle the torso between the thighs and press the elbows against the inner knees.

5. The hold. Stay in the squat for the target breath count, then press up to stand.

How Many, How Often

Malasana — Heels on Support is dosed by breath count, since a steady breath lets the hips settle into the supported depth without forcing it.

Level	Where you’re at	What to do
Beginner	Heels lift even with the support in place	Hold for 5 breaths with a taller support, checking that the heels rest fully, with no hovering.
Intermediate	The heels stay grounded on the support	Hold for 8 breaths, actively pressing the elbows against the knees to deepen the hip opening.
Advanced	The support feels less necessary each session	Extend to 10 breaths, or try Malasana without support once the ankles allow it.

Keeping the heels fully resting on the support matters more here than how deep the hips sink, since heels that still hover have not removed the ankle demand this version exists to bypass.

Modifications and Variations

Malasana — Heels on Support sits at the accessible end of its own progression, with one clear next step and no easier version below it.

For more difficulty, Malasana removes the support entirely, asking the ankles to hold the same deep squat with the heels flat on the floor.

Progression path: Malasana — Heels on Support → Malasana → Malasana to Bakasana Transition

Lower the support height gradually across sessions, moving to the flat-floor version only once the ankles allow it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Letting the heels hover just above the support, never fully resting on it. This defeats the entire purpose of the modification and just adds a balance challenge on top of the squat. Settling the heels fully onto the support is the fix.

Choosing a support too low to make a difference. A support that’s too flat still asks the ankles for range they don’t have yet. Raising the support height until the heels can rest without strain solves it.

Rounding the spine to bring the torso lower. A rounded back trades hip opening for a shortcut through the lower back, regardless of heel support. Keeping the spine long protects the back.

Assuming this version never needs to change. Ankles that gain mobility over time can gradually use a lower support. Checking in periodically, and lowering the support when the ankles are ready, tracks progress.

After Your Set

Pressing through the feet to stand and rolling slowly up through the spine releases the squat before any counter-stretch. A few gentle calf stretches against a wall ease the ankles even though this version reduced their direct load.

Going Deeper

This version is usually trained by anyone whose ankles limit a flat-footed deep squat, isolating the hip opening this pose is built around without waiting on ankle range to develop first. The most common way it stalls isn’t hip tightness, but heels left hovering just above the support instead of resting on it, which quietly brings the ankle demand right back. Settling the heels fully, every single session, is what lets this version do the job it’s meant to.

Someone new to this version generally finds a comfortable support height within the first session, and starts lowering that height gradually somewhere in the four to six week range.

How to Know You’re Improving

A 5-breath squat with the heels resting fully on the support, no hovering
Knees that open steadily against the elbows rather than caving in
An 8-breath hold reached with the spine staying long
A support height that can gradually be lowered across sessions

Heels that fully rest on the support, not how deep the squat goes, is what progress looks like here.

Muscles Worked

Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, opened as the knees press wide with the heels supported)
Iliopsoas (the hip flexor group at the front of the hip, able to fold deeper once the ankles stop limiting the squat)
Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, lengthened as the hips sink low)
Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, holding the squat with the wedge taking strain off the ankles)

FAQ

How tall should the heel support be? Tall enough that the heels rest fully without hovering. Most people find a workable height within the first attempt or two, adjusting slightly if the squat still feels unstable.

Will I always need the support? Not necessarily. Many people gradually lower the support height as ankle mobility improves, though there’s no requirement to progress away from it if it continues to feel like the better fit.

Is this version less effective at opening the hips than the unsupported one? No, the hip-opening demand is essentially unchanged. The support specifically removes the ankle limitation, not the hip work this pose is built around.

Can I use books or a yoga block as the heel support? Yes, any stable, evenly shaped support works, as long as both heels rest securely without wobbling.

Next in this series: Malasana, the flat-floor version this supported entry builds toward.