Whether or not it’s at our work desk, in our automotive, or on the couch, as a species, we’ve got by no means spent as little time on our toes as we do immediately.
Sadly, this creates weak point and imbalance within the decrease physique, decreased mobility, and tremendous tight hamstrings and hip flexors!
This is only one purpose why working towards yoga is so highly effective. The standing yoga poses present in any “yang” model yoga class are glorious at strengthening and stretching the legs, hips, and again, serving to to construct energy, enhance flexibility, and enhance posture.
So, for those who’re looking for a strategy to counter-balance a sedentary way of life, wish to really feel stronger, or enhance your stability, yoga is the answer.
Let’s discover how standing yoga poses may help you try this and learn how to apply them!
18 Basic Standing Poses In Yoga
Listed here are the 18 commonest and helpful standing yoga poses in Hatha, Vinyasa & Ashtanga yoga lessons.
Mountain Pose
The mountain pose, or Tadasana in Sanskrit, is essentially the most foundational asana in any basic yoga sequence. It’s the beginning and ending place in solar salutations and vinyasa flows. Whereas it seems to be easy, the mountain pose teaches us appropriate posture, helps to stabilize the core muscle tissue, and strengthens the decrease physique.
Standing Ahead Fold
Standing ahead fold (Uttanasana) is one other featured posture within the solar salutation. It deeply stretches the calves, hamstrings, and again, releasing pressure within the decrease again and bettering spinal mobility. It additionally has a soothing impact on the nervous system and the thoughts, lowering insomnia and stress.
Warrior 1
Warrior 1 is the primary of the warrior poses and is present in solar salutation B from the Ashtanga lineage. It strengthens your complete physique, together with the legs, arms, shoulders, and again. It additionally opens and stretches the hips and chest, bettering lung capability and common physique stability.
- On this pose, your hips ought to be dealing with forwards with each soles of the toes on the ground. Flip the again foot to 45 levels and hold the entrance toes dealing with ahead.
- Bend your entrance knee to stack over the ankle as you sink your hips. Hold the again leg straight.
- Attain your arms up alongside your ears, palms dealing with one another. Interact your core as you press firmly into each legs and hold your gaze on a hard and fast level.
Warrior II
Warrior II is likely one of the most strengthening standing yoga postures, constructing decrease and higher physique energy. It includes a deep hip and groin stretch and opens the chest and shoulders.
- Within the pose, the hips are dealing with out to the facet. Flip your again foot to 90 levels and hold your entrance foot ahead.
- Bend your entrance knee whereas conserving the again leg straight. Widen your legs to discover a deeper stretch to the inside hip flexors.
- Open your arms in a straight line (aligned along with your shoulders) and palms dealing with down. Look to your entrance hand.
Warrior 3
Warrior 3 is likely one of the foundational balancing poses. It builds energy within the standing leg, improves core stability, and works on stability.
- Deliver your palms to your hips and float your left leg again and up.
- On the identical time, decrease your higher physique, aiming to create a straight line along with your higher physique and floating leg.
- Attain your arms ahead consistent with your facet physique and press firming into your proper foot.
Reverse Warrior
Reverse warrior provides a deep stretch and opening to the facet physique (ribs and intercostal muscle tissue), chest, and lungs. Thus, it promotes deeper respiratory and improves lung capability whereas strengthening and stretching the legs.
- From the warrior II place, flip your entrance palm. As you inhale, sweep the arm up and again, bringing your backhand to your again thigh.
- Look as much as your high hand as you attain way back to potential. Hold your entrance knee stacked over the ankle and leg muscle tissue engaged.
Triangle Pose
Prolonged triangle pose is commonly practiced after reverse warrior because it compresses the facet of the physique that was simply stretched whereas opening the alternative facet. It strengthens your complete again and is a deep chest and shoulder opener.
From warrior II, straighten the fitting leg. Attain your proper hand forwards on an inhale, then deliver it right down to your calf, ankle, or yoga block. Lengthen your left arm up and lookup.
Reverse Triangle Pose
Because the title suggests, the reverse triangle is a reversed model of the prolonged triangle pose. It includes a deep spinal twist, stimulating the digestive organs and firming the core muscle tissue.
As a lot is going on within the higher physique, this posture requires further decrease physique stability than the opposite standing poses. Thus, it considerably improves leg energy, stability, and spatial consciousness.
Prolonged Aspect Angle Pose
The prolonged facet angle pose is one other of the standard standing yoga poses that stretch and opens the facet physique. It’s much like a triangle pose, however the entrance knee is bent, and the highest arms attain forwards fairly than up.
- From the triangle, bend your proper leg, stacking the knee over the ankle. Place the fitting hand on the ground or a block.
- Attain your left arm over your head so the hand factors to the highest of the mat, palm dealing with down.
- Pull your high shoulder again to open your chest and look as much as the highest arm.
Humber Warrior
Humber warrior is likely one of the greatest standing yoga poses for folks with tight shoulders. It stretches the chest, wrists, and backbone whereas deeply opening the hips.
- From warrior 1, clasp your palms behind your decrease again and as you inhale, draw your shoulders again and open your chest.
- As you exhale, bend from the hips and decrease your higher physique to the within of the entrance knee.
- Retaining your palms clasped, attain them up and over as you calm down your head and neck.
Crescent Lunge
Crescent lunge, or excessive lunge, is much like warrior 1, however the again heel comes off the ground, and the toes of each toes face forwards. The hips are turned forwards, and the entrance knee is bent. Arms may be straight alongside your ears, or you are able to do any arm variation, like cactus arms.
Pyramid Pose
Pyramid is likely one of the most helpful poses for these with tight hamstrings. Because it includes a ahead fold, it is usually a pleasant counterpose after the standing poses that open the chest of the facet physique.
- From Warrior 1, straighten the entrance leg and convey your palms behind your again, both in reverse prayer place or reverse hand to the alternative elbow.
- Inhale to lean again barely, exhale to hinge ahead from the hips, and fold your torso over the entrance leg.
- Maintain right here, or you’ll be able to launch your palms by the entrance foot.
Chair Pose
The chair pose is likely one of the tougher standing yoga poses. It builds endurance, stimulates the circulatory and metabolic techniques, and strengthens the legs, again, and shoulders.
Along with your toes hip distance or collectively, bend your knees and sink your hips like you’re sitting in a chair. Then, attain your arms overhead, consistent with the ears, and maintain for a number of breaths.
Half Moon Pose
Half moon is likely one of the most enjoyable balancing poses, typically practiced from an prolonged facet angle. It includes balancing on one leg whereas holding your physique at a 90-degree angle.
- From an prolonged facet angle, step your again foot barely in to shift your weight ahead. Deliver your hand about one foot in entrance of your entrance leg.
- Slowly float the again leg of the mat and straighten your entrance knee as you deliver the floating leg as much as a 90-degree angle, consistent with the higher physique.
- Lengthen your high arm and lookup, each palms dealing with to the facet.
Tree Pose
The tree pose is likely one of the most well-known and simply acknowledged standing yoga poses. It improves stability, stability, and focus whereas firming the core and strengthening the standing leg.
To enter the tree pose from standing, flip your left knee to the facet and convey the left foot to the fitting ankle, calf, or thigh. Subsequent, press firmly into the fitting foot and place your palms within the prayer place on the coronary heart heart or attain them overhead.
Standing Splits
Standing splits combines stability with a hip opening whereas creating deep spinal flexion.
From Uttasana, float one leg behind you as you hug your chest to the opposite leg. Use your breath to work on floating the again leg up additional. You may as well deliver one hand to the standing leg to deepen the posture.
Dancer Pose
This enjoyable, elegant-looking stability posture opens the chest, coronary heart, and shoulders. It additionally includes a deep spinal extension and brings a juicy stretch to the quad.
From standing, bend your left knee and seize the foot. Subsequent, attain your proper arm up then slowly kick your left foot into your hand as you deliver your chest forwards, creating an arch within the backbone.
Goddess Pose
The highly effective goddess pose is energizing and strengthening. It builds confidence and stamina whereas opening the hips and firming the inside thigh muscle tissue.
- Take a wide-leg standing place with the toes mentioning 45 levels and the heels barely turned in. Bend your knees and sink your hips, bringing your thighs parallel to the ground.
- Open your arms and bend your elbows with palms dealing with ahead.
- Work on drawing the elbows again barely to create area within the chest.
Last Ideas On Standing Yoga Poses For Learners
These newbie yoga poses will make it easier to develop into stronger and extra versatile whereas bettering your stability and physique consciousness.
Observe these standing postures just a few instances per week to reap these advantages. And keep in mind to apply seated and reclined postures afterward to chill down the muscle tissue and forestall damage!