Standing · beginner

Mountain Pose

Tadasana

The reference posture for every standing shape — quiet to look at, and the one that teaches you how to stand.

Mountain Pose Photograph coming soon

A rigged MakeHuman figure animated into Mountain Pose from this guide's own alignment cues — not a photo or scan of a real instructor. Built with MPFB2 from the MakeHuman community CC0 system assets: skin young_caucasian_female2, hair ponytail01, outfit female_sportsuit01, green eyes.

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, weight even across both feet.
  2. Spread your toes and feel four points of contact: big toe, little toe, inner and outer heel.
  3. Let your arms hang, palms forward, shoulders sliding down away from your ears.
  4. Lengthen up through the crown of your head without lifting your chin.

Why it helps

  • Builds awareness of how you distribute weight through your feet
  • Trains upright posture without bracing
  • Gives you a neutral position to return to between poses

Common mistakes

  • Locking the knees back hard, which grips the joint instead of supporting it.
  • Tucking the pelvis under to 'flatten' the lower back — let it keep its natural curve.

Before you try it

  • If standing still makes you dizzy, take a wider stance or practice near a wall.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you're working with an injury, a health condition, or you're pregnant, check with a doctor or physical therapist and tell your teacher before class.

Make it easier

  • Feet wider apart for a more stable base.
  • Back against a wall to feel what upright actually means.

Where this pose shows up

Styles iyengar power

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