Urdhva Hasthasana

Urdhva Hastasana translates to “Raised Hands Pose, is a standing asana like Tadasana. It’s an important sequence of Surya Namaskar, usually a short asana for beginners level, done for a short duration.

The pose is a simple-looking pose — is a natural way to stretch the whole body, often forms the foundation pose for all standing yoga poses and inversions in yoga.

Urdhva Hasthasana Meaning

Urdhva Hasthasana derived from the Sanskrit words pronunciation as (OORD-vah hahs-TAHS-uh-nuh), where Urdhva means ‘upwards’, Hasta means ‘hand’, and asana meaning ‘posture’.

In this posture, the fingers of both hands are pulled together by pulling them together and hence it is named Urdhva Hasthasana. It is also sometimes called Tadasana, Upward Salute, Upward Tree Pose, Palm Tree Pose, Upward Hand Pose or Volcano Pose.

In this Yogasan, the gentle stretch regenerates energetic spark and refreshes the entire body by boosting energy levels. This makes your body flexible and shoulders strong. This pose is also done by sitting on a chair and various therapeutic perks can be availed.

Urdhva Hasthasana is also beneficial for those who complain of back or back pain due to sitting in one place for hours. Whether you are a trained yogi, a child, or even a novice, anyone can perform this pose on a daily basis.

Now it comes to know how to do Urdhva Hasthasana properly. Here are write the simple ways of doing it, which you can easily do it at your home by understanding it well.

Practice Guide to Perform Urdhva Hasthasana (Upward Salute)

The following points are easy and safe practices for Urdhva Hasthasana Yoga Pose (Upward Salute Pose). So, the practitioners can easily known how to perform this posture, what precautions need to take when practicing this posture, and what benefits it has.

Preparatory Poses

  • Tadasana

How to do Urdhva Hasthasana

Starting Position: Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, spine straight, and arms relaxed by your sides.

Inhale and Raise Arms: As you inhale, bring your arms up overhead, keeping them parallel to each other or slightly apart. Palms can face each other or be pressed together.

Engage Your Body: Engage your core muscles slightly to support your spine and keep your body stable. Ground down through your feet, distributing the weight evenly.

Lengthen Your Spine: Lift through the sides of your body, elongating your spine. Keep your shoulders relaxed away from your ears.

Gaze: Your gaze can be straight ahead or toward your thumbs.

Breathing: Take slow and deep breaths, allowing your chest to open up with each inhale. Coordinate your movements with your breath: Inhale while raising your arms, and exhale while lowering them.

Hold and Release: Hold the pose for several breaths, maintaining a steady and comfortable posture. To release, exhale slowly, bringing your arms back down to your sides.

Follow Up Poses

Precautions & Contraindications

Ensure your arms are in line with your ears, but if you have shoulder issues, you can keep your arms slightly forward or wider apart. If you have lower back issues, engage your core muscles more to protect your spine.

  • People who suffer from sciatica should perform the pose under guidance. Since the effects can be adverse.
  • If you are suffering from insomnia, low blood pressure, and headache problem then you should not practice.
  • Yoga poses should be done with awareness and within your comfortable range of motion. If you have any medical concerns or specific conditions, it’s advisable to consult a yoga instructor or a professional before attempting new poses.

Benefits of Urdhva Hasthasana

Improves posture: The pose wonderful stretch that offers various benefits for the body. Its elongating effect on the spine can help in relieving tension and improving posture over time.

Engaging muscle: By engaging multiple muscle groups, this pose aids in toning and strengthening various parts of the body, including the arms, legs, core, and back muscles.

Stimulates the digestive system: Urdhva Hastasana is a fantastic stretch that engages the core muscles while elongating the spine. This stretch helps in strengthening and toning the abdominal muscles, which in turn can indirectly massage and stimulate the organs in the abdominal area, such as the stomach, pancreas, and liver.

Throat chakra: Urdhva Hasthasana stimulates the throat chakra, which is associated with self-expression and communication. 

Grow in length: This should be practiced for those who are still underage and are likely to grow in length. That’s why it is known as the best Yoga for kids.

Energizing: It can help in boosting energy and refreshing the body, especially when practiced with deep, mindful breathing.

Prepares for Deeper Poses: Urdhva Hastasana is often used as a preparatory pose for more challenging yoga asanas, as it helps in warming up and opening the body.

Conclusion

Urdhva Hastasana, or Upward Salute Pose, is a foundational yoga pose that involves standing with raised arms. Regular practice of Urdhva Hastasana can contribute to increased flexibility, better alignment, and improved body awareness. It can also help in enhancing breathing patterns and overall relaxation by promoting a sense of openness and expansion throughout the body.

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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