standing yoga poses

Talking about standing yoga poses, these yoga asanas require both strength and flexibility, hence these yoga is very beneficial in balancing the body and improving body posture. Apart from this, by doing standing yoga poses increases blood circulation in the body, strengthens the immunity system, and keeps the body, mind, and brain completely healthy.

Regular practice of yoga is very beneficial for our health, whether it is standing yoga poses or sitting yoga poses. On one hand, the body remains healthy and by doing yoga, the body looks beautiful and attractive to look at. Also, our body is flexible and on the other hand, it also protects against common and dangerous diseases.

So let’s know some standing yoga postures and doing this yoga that will benefit from practicing.

Different types of standing yoga poses

An asana is a posture whether for traditional hatha yoga or for modern yoga as exercise. There are 15 standing yoga asana with pictures. 

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) 

Tadasana is a very simple yoga asana, which is considered beneficial for health. This yoga posture is very effective for stretching both the legs and the body and for increasing the length. This will not only improve your lifestyle but will also help in staying away from diseases. Tadasana is involved in yoga asanas, which can help control type 2 diabetes. (study)

This is also known as Yoga for Immune System that communicates new energy in life by strengthening the immune system.

Steps To Do Tadasana:-

  • Stand upright and maintain a small distance between the two legs.
  • Now while breathing, raise both your arms up and interlock the fingers of the hands.
  • After this, raise your heels and stand on the toes. Now feel the stretch from the feet to the toes and the body.
  • While breathing, stay in this posture for a while.

2. Padangusthasana (Big Toe pose)

If you are starting yoga then this will be one of the best yoga asanas for you. Big Toe pose is one of those yoga asanas that stretch the thigh muscles, hamstrings, calf muscles, and lower back and both arms. And controls blood pressure. Apart from this, it improves concentration, memory, and focus.

Padangusthasana

Steps To Do Padangusthasana (Big Toe pose):-

  • Stand up straight.
  • Now lean forward. Try to touch your forehead.
  • Both your head and torso should move together.
  • Hold both toes with your fingers.
  • Straighten the elbows, take a deep breath and lift the torso.
  • Bend forward again and hold the toe with the fingers.
  • Breathe continuously and return to normal.

3. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Tree pose is essentially a balancing pose, and it does have many benefits that lie in both improving the balance of the body as well as enhancing the entire nervous system.

Steps To Do Vrikshasan:-

  • Stand up straight.
  • Place the right foot firmly on the ground.
  • Now raise the left leg slowly and place it above the knees of the right leg.
  • Now put both hands in the prayer posture from your chest.
  • To maintain balance, move both your hands above the head.
  • Now keep the head straight and center your eyes in the hairline.
  • Now stand for 1-2 minutes in this state.

4. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Downward-Facing Dog, which is also known as Downward Dog or Down Dog, is a significant and essential part of Surya Namaskar  (Sun Salutations) and it is often practised during yoga class, many times.

This is the best Yoga for Immune System that communicates new energy in life by strengthening the immune system.

This asana has a very important place in Indian Yoga. it is considered the most important posture of Ashtanga yoga. This asana has many amazing benefits. It greatly benefits the arms, legs, and shoulders. The reverse dog posture increases blood circulation in the brain. It also gives peace to the brain and relieves headaches, sleeplessness, fatigue.

It is also popular yoga for asthma, sinusitis, as well as flat feet.

Steps To Do Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

  • In Adhomukhvashanasana yoga, first stand upright and keep a distance between the two legs.
  • Then slowly turn downwards to form a V like Shape.
  • As you can see in the photo above, make a little second between both hands and feet.
  • While breathing, pull your waist backwards with the help of your feet. Do not bend your legs and arms.
  • By doing this, the back of your body, arms and legs will get a good stretch.
  • Take a long breath and stay in this yoga pose for some delay.

5. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

This asana of standing yoga poses gives the body stretching from three different angles simultaneously and helps in better functioning of the normal function of the whole body. Apart from this, it also popular among people for reducing belly fat from different parts of the body such as the stomach, hips, and waist.

This asana is one of the yoga postures for back pain, these poses also improve the circulation to both spine and nerves.

Trikonasana

Steps To Do Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

  • Stand up straight.Keep a gap of 2 feet between the legs.
  • Move both hands to the side and try to touch the right foot with the right hand.
  • Keep the left hand straight upwards.
  • Wait a while and then come back to normal position.
  • Repeat the same action with the other hand.

6. Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

This standing yoga pose is also counted in those special asanas, which can help relieve stress. it expels dullness and keeps you refreshed.

But if you do Garudasana with an open mind and full power, soon all the positive energy of the body will be flowing continuously throughout your body and mind.

Garudasana

How To Do Eagle Pose (Garudasana):-

  • Stand in Tadasana.
  • Fold your knees and lift the right leg and rotate it above the left foot.
  • Note that the left leg rests on the ground and the right thigh is above the left thigh. The right toe should be towards the ground.
  • Keeping your hands parallel to the ground, bring them to the front.
  • Cross the right hand over the left hand and bend your elbow at a 10-degree angle from the ground.
  • Note that the back of the hands is towards each other.
  • Gently rotate the hands in such a way that the palms face each other.
  • While pressing the palms on top of each other, raise them upwards.
  • Keeping your eyes fixed, stay in the same position and keep breathing and release.

To know more about Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

7. Virabhadrasana  (Warrior Pose)

This pose of standing yoga poses is named after Veerabhadra, a powerful warrior. Veerabhadra was an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The story of Virbhadra teaches the precious values of life. This asana helps in curing neck pain, shoulder pain and back pain, and helps to increase tolerance.

Yoga can be a great exercise for people living with knee pain and joint pain. *(Yoga with knee pain and joint pain)

Virabhadrasana

How to practice Warrior pose:

  • First, start with the Mountain Pose or Tadasana.
  • Now keep your legs around four feet apart from each other.
  • Now raise your arms parallel to the floor and turn your head to the left.
  • Then turn your left foot 90 degrees to the left and bend your left knee. The angle of hips and arms should be the same i.e. 180 degrees.
  • Stay in this position for 30 – 60 seconds.

8.  Hastapadasana (Standing Forward Bend)

One of the many activities of standing yoga poses is the Hastapadasana. You get many benefits from this yoga asana. Apart from stains of the skin, it also removes dark circles under the eyes.

Hastapadasana

How to Do Hastapadasana:-

  • First, you need to stand straight with the arms placed beside the body.
  • Now take a deep breath and then extend the arms up.
  • Bend downwards forcefully towards the feet.
  • Now place the palms next to the feet on each side of the body and hold the pose for a couple of seconds.
  • Ensure that your legs are straight while you do this pose.
  • Now repeat this process after a few times.

9. Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose)

Half Moon pose asana can be quite disorienting, but when it is practised regularly, it essentially helps in making the person more aware as well as cultivate the balance in the person. 

Ardha Chandrasana

How to Do Half Moon pose:-

  • First of all, stand with the heel-legs of both feet together.
  • Both arms should be adjacent to the waist and keep your neck straight.
  • Then slowly put both feet at a distance of one to one and a half feet from each other.
  • Now raise the right hand and bring it parallel to the shoulder.
  • Your palm should be facing the sky.
  • While doing this, make sure that your left-hand stays on your waist.
  • Now bai and bend, as shown in the picture.
  • During this time, your left hand will slide down in the evening.
  • Remember that the palm of the left hand should not be removed from the left leg.
  • Remain in this position for 30-40 seconds, then slowly return to normal.
  • If you are doing this for the first time, bow down as much as you can.
  • Do the same procedure on the other side as well.

10. Parighasana (Gate Pose)

Gate Pose also known as Beam Pose. it seems like an iron beam that is used to lock the iron gate. benefits of Gate pose are several including a healthier spinal position, stretch the adductor muscle, etc.

Parighasana

How to Do Parighasana (Gate Pose)

  • First, stand your body by kneeling on the floor.
  • Now, spread your right leg out to your right side and press your foot flat on the floor. so that right knee towards the sky/ceiling. (Make sure your right leg should be parallel to kneeling knee)
  • With inhalation being to extend your left arm up and close to your left ear. (keep the palm facing either up and down) the shoulder blade should be firmly pressed against the back.
  • Exhale and turn to the right side, the chest should be perpendicular to the floor. placing the right palm down on the right leg.
  • Look at the sky by keeping the back of your neck long.
  • Breathe and hold for 5-8 breaths.

11. Natarajasana

This yoga is a physically challenging posture requiring flexibility in your spine, legs, and hips. To perform this posture, it is necessary to keep the body balanced. It helps to make you strong and opens your mind and body, giving them much more attractive shape and strength.

Natarajasana, who is considered the dancer form of Lord Shankar. One of the main postures of Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam is also considered. (study)

Natarajasana

How to Do Natarajasana

  • First, you stand up straight.
  • Now raise your right leg, bend it from the knees and take it as much as possible behind the back.
  • Raise both arms up from the front, then move them back.
  • Now, while standing on the left foot and keeping your balance, hold the right foot with both hands and move it above the head as much as possible.
  • Keep in mind that your head is fixed and the vision is in front.
  • Keep this position as far as possible and then slowly come to the initial position.
  • In the same way, do it with the left leg.

12. Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)

Parsvottanasana Yoga is a forward-bending posture which is the final pose of the Ashtanga Vinyasa style. This yoga is beneficial for your body in many ways. It opens the chest and shoulders, which can be beneficial if you have any stiffness in your shoulders or back.

Parsvottanasana

How to Do Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)

  • first stand in Tadasana.
  • Now slowly move both your hands behind your back and join the two hands together in the prayer position, ie Reverse Prayer Pose.
  • To get into the state in this Yogaasana, now you have to first come to the position of Virabhadrasana Yoga, for this, you take a deep breath and keep the right foot forward 45 to 60 degrees.
  • Now tilt your torso towards the right foot until your chest and head are completely on the right foot.
  • You stay in this posture for a few seconds.

13. Vatayanasana (Horse Pose)

Vatayanasana is a little hard. The pose requires considerable flexibility in the yogic body. It is an intermediate yoga pose as well as part of the intermediate series of Ashtanga yoga.

How to Do Vatayanasana (Horse Pose)

  • Start Vatayanasana by bending one leg, bend your right leg from the knee and place this leg on the thigh of the left leg.
  • Now bend your left leg downwards until your left thigh becomes parallel to the ground. And slowly close the right knee to the ground near the heel of the left foot.
  • After this, raise your arms and connect them with each other or make a greeting posture (Namaste) with both hands.

14. Utkata Konasana (Goddess pose)

Goddess pose is a powerful standing yoga asana that energizing and empowering effects on the mind. And build both outer and inner strength and power. Goddess Pose also helps in Chaturmukha Mudra.

Utkata Konasana

How to Do

  • Stand in Mountain pose (Tadasana).
  • Now, turn your toes out and your heels in.
  • After that bend the elbows at shoulder height as the picture shows.
  • Now,look straight ahead with the chin parallel to the floor.

15. Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

Extended Side Angle Pose is a standing yoga pose that utilizes all muscles of the body. It stretches the hips, legs, abdomen,  knees, palms, and ankles while increasing and enhancing our stability, passiveness, and stamina.

  • Start this asana with Tadasana.
  • Now, turn your right foot outwards 90 degrees to the right. and turn your left foot slightly outwards 45 to 60 degrees.
  • Now slowly raise your hands
  • After this, keep your right heel firmly on the ground, bend your left knee.
  • Then while exhaling, turn your torso to the left.
  • Then put your right hand out of the left foot on the floor as per your ability.

Standing Yoga Poses Benefits

  • Strength and Stability: These poses engage various muscle groups, improving overall strength and stability.
  • Flexibility: They increase flexibility in the legs, hips, and spine, which is essential for preventing injuries and maintaining mobility.
  • Mental Focus: Balancing poses like Tree and Half Moon require concentration, helping to quiet the mind and improve mental clarity.
  • Awareness: Standing poses often encourage mindfulness by requiring practitioners to be present in the moment and attentive to their bodies.
  • Grounding: They provide a sense of grounding and stability, which can be particularly beneficial in times of stress or anxiety.

Conclusion

These are just a few standing yoga poses to get you started. Remember to practice mindfulness, focus on your breath, and listen to your body. If you’re new to yoga, consider attending a class or working with a certified yoga instructor to ensure you’re performing the poses correctly and safely.

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Disclaimer

The content is purely informative and educational in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. Please use the content only in consultation with an appropriate certified medical or healthcare professional