Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Tada means mountain and asana means posture. You stand still and upright, steady at the base and tall at the top, the way a mountain sits on the land.
At a glance
- Sanskrit name
- Tadasana
- Pronunciation
- tah-DAHS-uh-nuh. Four syllables, with the stress on the second.
- Family
- Standing
- Practised in
- Yoga for beginners
- In pregnancy
- Adapt
- After birth
- Adapt
Mountain Pose looks like standing still, and it is. It is also one of the first poses beginners are taught, because the standing poses that follow build on the same feet, legs and spine.
It is a good place for private yoga for complete beginners to start, because every standing pose is easier once you know how you stand.
Mountain is where every shape on the standing poses page, two lines on each begins and ends.
How to do Mountain Pose
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, or with the big toes touching if that feels steady, and the outer edges of the feet parallel.
Lift and spread the toes, then lay them back down. Feel the weight across the base of the big toe, the base of the little toe and the centre of the heel.
Keep the knees straight but not pushed back, and let the thighs firm gently.
Stack the pelvis over the ankles, the ribs over the pelvis and the shoulders over the ribs, without tucking the tailbone hard or sticking the bottom out.
Let the arms hang by your sides with the palms facing in or slightly forward. Lengthen the back of the neck so the chin stays level.
Stand for five to ten breaths, noticing where the weight wants to drift.
My cues
- Stand the way you would if nobody was watching, then make one small change at a time. Mountain is about noticing, not posing.
- Imagine a thread lifting you from the crown of the head while the feet stay heavy. Both at once.
- Let the shoulder blades slide down the back without pinching them together. I want them soft and wide, not pulled back like a soldier's.
Modifications
- Stand with your back near a wall, heels a few centimetres away, to feel whether you lean forward or back.
- Hold a block between the upper thighs and squeeze it gently to feel the legs engage.
- Widen the stance if balance feels uncertain, or rest a hand on the back of a chair.
- Practise it seated on a chair, feet flat and spine tall, if standing for long is tiring.
In pregnancy. Adapt. Stand with the feet wider apart to make room for the belly and to steady yourself, and let the tailbone stay natural rather than tucked. Stand near a wall if you feel light-headed. Check with your OB or midwife before you start.
After birth. Adapt. Once your doctor or midwife has cleared you to exercise, Mountain is a quiet way to notice how you are standing again. Carrying a baby often draws the shoulders forward, so use it to check in, not to criticise yourself.
Common mistakes
- Locking the knees back, which tips the weight into the heels and the lower back.
- Tucking the pelvis hard to flatten the lower back.
- Puffing the chest up and squeezing the shoulder blades together.
- Letting the weight live in the heels or on the outer edges of the feet.
Pairs well with
- Tree PoseVrksasana
- Chair PoseUtkatasana
- Sun SalutationSurya Namaskar