Mountain Pose
TadasanaThe reference standing posture. Sets foot pressure, pelvis position and ribcage stacking that every other standing pose is measured against.
- 01Stand with feet hip-width or together, second toe pointing straight ahead.
- 02Spread the toes and press evenly through the big toe mound, little toe mound and heel.
- 03Firm the thighs without locking the knees, and let the tailbone drop so the lower back is long rather than arched.
- 04Stack the ribcage over the pelvis and the head over the ribcage, arms alongside the body with palms forward.
- 05Breathe normally for five to ten breaths, checking that weight stays even between both feet.
- 01Three points of each foot on the floor, all the time.
- 02Lift the arch without rolling to the outer edge.
- 03Ribs down, crown up — length, not lift of the chest.
- 01Locking the knees back into hyperextension, which dumps the work into the joint capsule instead of the quads.
- 02Flaring the front ribs to look tall, which arches the lumbar spine and disconnects the abdominal wall.
- 03Standing on the outer edges of the feet, which kills the arch and destabilises everything built on top of it.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.