If you’ve ever wondered how to get started with yoga practice, then this is the article for you! Whether you’re brand new to the world of yoga and looking for a little advice or an experienced practitioner who just wants to find a new way to approach your practice, we have something that will help you. Easier said than done, right? Well, luckily there are plenty of fantastic resources available online that can help you. And one of the best places to start if you’re new to the world of yoga is with mountain pose (also known as Tadasana or “standing still”). So what are you waiting for? Keep reading!
Table of Contents
What is Mountain Pose?
Mountain pose is the first of the seven classic yoga poses. It is a foundational pose for all other poses, as such, it’s incredibly important that you learn the correct alignment and how to do it properly.
It is also a basic standing pose that involves being still, but there’s a lot more to it than that! The key to mountain pose is keeping your body stable while you focus on your breathing and posture. This may sound simple enough, but it’s actually quite challenging!
Benefits of Mountain Pose
Mountain pose is an excellent way to start or finish your yoga routine because it helps to bring balance and alignment to your entire body. It also helps you to focus on standing up straight, which can improve posture when done regularly.
In addition, it can help you relax and focus on what’s happening at that moment instead of worrying about things going on elsewhere in life. As such, this pose can help reduce stress levels overall! And if stress reduction isn’t enough for you (what more could there possibly be?), it can also help improve digestion and circulation over time as well as boost energy levels! So if you want more energy or just want an excuse not to spend all evening hunched over a laptop.
Besides to the above benefits, there are also the following
Calms the mind – It is all about calming the mind and feeling centered. It can help you to focus on your breathing and find inner peace.
Strengthening the Muscles – It is a great pose to practice if you’re looking to strengthen your muscles.
Can Help With Obesity – One study found that obese people had significant decreases in cortisol (a stress hormone) following a 3-month yoga practice. [1]
Strengthening Connective Tissue – Another study found that practicing yoga postures may help with the aging process by strengthening connective tissues. [2]
Cautions of Mountain Pose
Nausea: If you feel nausea while doing mountain pose yoga , try to reduce the amount of time you spend doing it.
Headaches: If you have a headache(or low blood pressure) while doing mountain pose, then try to reduce the time you spend in this pose.
Cramps: If you experience cramps in your legs while in mountain pose, try to reduce the amount of time you spend in this pose. – Low Back Pain – If you experience lower back pain while in mountain pose, try to reduce the amount of time you spend in this pose.
How to do Mountain Pose: Step-by-Step Guide
1. Stand up straight with your feet together.
2. Place your sacrum in a neutral position, and keep the natural curves of your spine.
3. Take a deep breath in and slowly raise both your arms straight up above your head while exhaling. The palms of your hands should face each other.
4. Shrug your shoulders to your ears, then roll back, letting your shoulder blades release back.
5. Close your eyes and imagine that you are drawing energy up from the earth into the sky, through the crown of your head, and out of the tips of your fingers. Hold for 10-15 seconds and then slowly lower both arms back down to a normal position by your side.
6. Repeat this pose 2-3 more times if you have time remaining in class or if you have time to do it at home later on that day.
7. If you are doing this pose at home later on that day, make sure to warm up before doing this pose like I mentioned earlier in this article!
8. After completing mountain pose yoga, continue with any other poses that you want to do in class or end class by practicing Savasana (Corpse Pose).
Common Mistakes
Leaning Too Far Forward – While it’s a good idea to keep your back straight while in mountain pose, you don’t want to lean too far forward.
Legs Fall Behind – If your legs fall behind while in mountain pose, then you will not be able to maintain a strong pose.
Head Rolls Back – While you may feel like rolling your head back during this pose, you don’t want to roll your head back too far.
Foot Flexor Muscles are not relaxed – If you feel any muscle tension in your foot flexor muscles, then you may need to relax your foot before continuing.
Variations of Mountain Pose
There are a variety of variations of mountain pose that can be done. The most common variation of mountain pose is to turn your back foot outwards. This variation is commonly practiced in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, which I practice. When I turn my back foot outwards, I can feel the muscles in my outer thigh stretching a lot!
Another variation is to step your front foot forward. This variation can put more pressure on the front of your body, so you may want to be careful if you have any injuries in this area.
If you are doing this pose with your arms extended, then you may want to experiment with bending your arms at different angles such as having them straight up or down by your sides or by having them come together at chest level.
It is important to note that hands and arms can be placed in different positions while doing this and that your palms are facing forward to better open your chest and shoulders. In addition, we need to find center and balance to calm our minds. We need to put your palm on the prayer position in front of your chest (this is commonly known as Anjali Mudra).
Tips of Beginners
There are a couple of tips that I have found useful when practicing mountain pose.
Here are some of them:
1) If you have tight calf muscles, then you may want to practice mountain pose with your back foot turned outwards. This will stretch the outer thigh muscles more than if your foot is facing straight forward.
2) If you are having trouble balancing yourself in this pose, then you can place your hands on a wall or chair for support.
3) If you are having trouble keeping your balance while doing this pose, then I suggest trying to focus on a spot directly in front of you and stare at that spot as long as possible during this pose. Sometimes focusing on a spot will help keep you steady!
4) Try not to overstretch yourself in mountain pose. If you feel any pain in any part of your body, then please stop what you are doing and consult with a professional before continuing.
6) If balancing in Mountain pose is difficult for you, try to place your feet hip-distance apart.
7) Try to breathe evenly while doing this pose. Breathing evenly helps keep your body relaxed and helps prevent dizziness!
How Long Should I Hold Mountain Pose?
It is recommended that beginners hold mountain pose for about 20 seconds per leg for each set that they do. However, if holding it for 20 seconds causes too much pain or discomfort, then start off with 10 seconds per leg and work your way up from there as long as it feels comfortable!
Final Words
Mountain pose is a great pose for beginners to practice. It doesn’t have many more advanced poses’ poses that are more difficult to do, so you can start practicing this pose right away. You can practice it while standing in line, sitting at your desk, or even while you’re watching TV. Once you have a long history of practicing this pose, then you can consider moving on to more advanced poses.
Related:Top 17 Yoga Poses for Beginners: Simple Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle
