The Mountain Pose, or Tadasana in Sanskrit, is one of the most fundamental yoga postures. Standing tall, with feet grounded firmly on the earth, legs engaged, and spine elongated, this steady pose encourages grounding, centeredness, and strength. This pose can be used throughout a class to maintain composure and posture during different sequences.
How do you do Mountain Pose?
Step 1.
Stand with your feet together, arms by your side with palms facing forward reaching through your fingertips .
Step 2.
Find neutral alignment by stacking shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Imagine standing with your back against a wall, stacking the back of the skull, shoulder blades and sacrum.
Step 3.
Settle your shoulders down your back and widen through the collar bones to find space in the front of your chest.
Step 4.
Feel connected to the mat with all 4 corners of your feet. Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid hyperextension. Feel your tailbone drawing down, rooting you through your feet as your navel draws up and in to lengthen the lower back and front of the hips.
Step 5.
Stand tall with the crown of your head reaching up to elongate the back of your neck; be mindful your chin is not jutting forward. Gaze straight ahead.
Benefits of Mountain Pose
Improves posture and body awareness
Can counter effects of sitting for a long time
Excellent preparatory pose as this alignment is present in many other yoga postures
Improves the harmony between the right and left sides of your body
Variations of Mountain Pose
Feet hips width distance apart
Back against a wall to help find alignment
Mountain Pose in a Chair
Other Yoga Poses to Try
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The Mountain Pose, or Tadasana in Sanskrit, is one of the most fundamental yoga postures. Standing tall, with feet grounded firmly on the earth, legs engaged, and spine elongated, this steady pose encourages grounding, centeredness, and strength. This pose can
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