Yoga Journal 21-Day Challenge, Day 8: Awakening Practice With Jason Crandell (VIDEO)

The second week of our yoga challenge begins with a sequence meant to further loosen the neck and shoulders, releasing tension. It introduces utkatasana (chair pose), a strengthening, deep squat with raised arms and a side body stretch. The word means "powerful pose" in Sanskrit, which makes sense: it gets you in touch with your pelvis, considered the body's center of power among yogis. In this way, the series can be seen as a contrast between lengthening the neck and rooting the pelvis.

When our partner Yoga Journal put out the call for their 21-Day Yoga Challenge, we knew we wanted to be a part of it. Over the course of three weeks, we're going to learn to incorporate a daily practice of breathing, meditation and vegetarian eating to our busy lives. We're hoping to emerge stronger, more flexible and mindful of the choices we make for our bodies. You can check out our progress at Team HuffPost's Social Workout page and you can follow along on our blog. Want to join the challenge? Click on the leader board below to become a part of Team HuffPost!