23 Standing Asanas for Grounding & Strength

When Neil Armstrong first stepped onto the moon, he had to focus on one crucial thing - his balance. One wrong move in that reduced gravity could spell disaster. Humans spend about 16 hours a day fighting gravity while standing, yet we rarely think about how we stand.

Here in Earth, you're not moonwalking in space suits. But something as simple as standing still requires a complex dance between your muscles, joints, and mind. That's where standing yoga asanas come into play.

Standing poses are essential for building strength, stability, and flexibility in both beginners and advanced practitioners. Asanas like Mountain Pose and Tree Pose help ground the body and improve focus, making them ideal balancing asanas.

This blog presents 23 basic yoga asanas with names and images, detailed benefits, and step-by-step instructions for a well-rounded practice.

Standing poses

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Benefits: This easy yoga pose improves posture, strengthens thighs and ankles, enhances balance.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together, weight evenly balanced on both feet.
2. Engage your thighs, lifting your kneecaps.
3. Lift through the crown of your head and lengthen your spine.
4. Breathe deeply, holding for 5-10 breaths.

Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

Benefits: This yoga balance pose boosts balance and core stability, strengthens thighs and calves.

Steps:

1. Stand tall, shift your weight onto your left foot.
2. Place your right foot on your left thigh or calf, avoiding the knee.
3. Bring hands together at your chest, or extend overhead.
4. Focus on a point in front of you to maintain balance.

Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

Benefits: This yoga in standing position enhances flexibility, opens hips, and stretches the spine.

Steps:

1. Stand with feet wide apart.
2. Extend your right arm forward, then tilt to bring your right hand down to your ankle or shin.
3. Raise your left arm toward the ceiling, keeping your gaze upward.

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Benefits: This yoga balance pose increases strength and endurance, opens the chest, and improves focus.

Steps:

1. Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).
2. Step your left foot back, bending the right knee while keeping the left leg straight.
3. Square your hips forward, raise your arms overhead, and gaze up.
4. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Also read: 12 Poses of Surya Namaskar For a Stronger Mind & Body

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Benefits: This standing yoga asana builds strength in the legs and core, promotes stability, and stretches the hips.

Steps:

1. From Warrior I, turn your back foot out slightly.
2. Open your arms parallel to the floor and gaze over your front hand.
3. Bend the front knee to a 90-degree angle, keeping the back leg strong.
4. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Try the Strong Like a Warrior series on the Level SuperMind app to increase focus and balance, both physical and mental

Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

Benefits: This yoga asana for balance strengthens the legs and core, stretches the side body and spine.

Steps:

1. From Warrior II, bring your front forearm to your thigh or reach down to the floor.
2. Extend your top arm over your head, lengthening through the side.
3. Gaze up toward your extended hand.
4. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

Benefits: This standing asana enhances balance and core strength, opens the hips, and stretches the hamstrings.

Steps:

1. From Triangle Pose, bend your front knee and shift your weight onto the front foot.
2. Lift your back leg parallel to the floor, reaching one hand down and the other up.
3. Look up to your top hand for added balance.
4. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Benefits: This balancing asana strengthens the thighs, calves, and core, and improves stamina. It can also act as a sitting yoga pose to do at work.

Steps:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose, feet together.
2. Bend your knees as if sitting in a chair, keeping your spine straight.
3. Raise your arms overhead, keeping shoulders relaxed.
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

High Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

Benefits: This power yoga pose tretches the hips, strengthens the legs and core, and improves balance.

Steps:

1. From Downward Facing Dog, step one foot between your hands.
2. Bend the front knee, keeping the back leg straight and heel lifted.
3. Raise your arms overhead and gaze forward.
4. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

Benefits: Increases flexibility in the hips, shoulders, and ankles, and improves focus.

Steps:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose.
2. Wrap one leg over the other and hook your foot behind the calf.
3. Cross your arms at the elbows, bringing palms together.
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)

Benefits: Enhances flexibility, balance, and focus, stretches the shoulders and thighs.

Steps:

1. Stand on one leg, bending the opposite knee.
2. Grab the ankle of the bent leg with the same hand.
3. Reach the opposite arm forward and lean forward slightly.
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

Benefits: This yoga for anxiety stretches the hamstrings, calves, and back; calms the mind.

Steps:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose, then fold forward from the hips.
2. Reach your hands down toward the floor or hold your ankles.
3. Let your head relax, breathing deeply.
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

Benefits: Opens the hips and chest, stretches the spine and legs, and improves stability.

Steps:

1. Step your feet wide apart and extend one arm down toward the floor.
2. Reach the opposite arm toward the sky, gazing up if comfortable.
3. Keep both legs straight and engage your core.
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Also read: How to do Yoga Nidra in 8 Simple Steps?

Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana)

Benefits: Improves digestion, balance, and spinal flexibility.

Steps:

1. From Extended Triangle, twist your torso and reach your opposite hand down to the floor.
2. Extend the other arm toward the ceiling, looking up.
3. Keep your legs engaged and hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Standing Split (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

Benefits: Stretches the hamstrings and calves, improves balance.

Steps:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose, then fold forward.
2. Lift one leg high behind you, keeping your hands on the ground or holding your ankle.
3. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch legs.

Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Benefits: Strengthens the inner thighs, calves, and core, and enhances endurance.

Steps:

1. Step your feet wide apart, turning toes outward.
2. Bend your knees and lower your hips.
3. Bring your arms to shoulder height, with elbows bent.
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)

Benefits: This yoga asana builds strength in the legs and core, improves balance and focus.

Steps:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose.
2. Lean forward and lift one leg back while keeping your body straight.
3. Extend your arms forward for balance.
4. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Crescent Pose (Ashta Chandrasana)

Benefits: Strengthens the legs and core, enhances balance.

Steps:

1. From High Lunge, raise your arms overhead.
2. Square your hips and lift through your spine.
3. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Revolved Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)

Benefits: Strengthens the core, improves balance and focus.

Steps:

1. Stand in Chair Pose, then bring hands together at your chest.
2. Twist to one side, hooking your elbow outside the opposite knee.
3. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Half Forward Fold (Ardha Uttanasana)

Benefits: Stretches the back and legs, prepares for deeper forward bends.

Steps:

1. From Forward Fold, raise halfway, lengthening through your spine.
2. Place your hands on your shins or thighs.
3. Hold for 5 breaths.

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)

Benefits: Improves balance, leg strength, and flexibility.

Steps:

1. Stand on one leg, grabbing the big toe of the opposite foot.
2. Extend the lifted leg forward or out to the side.
3. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch sides.

Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Benefits: This standing yoga pose opens the chest, stretches the side body, strengthens legs.

Steps:

1. From Warrior II, flip your front palm upward.
2. Reach up and back, allowing the back hand to rest on your leg.
3. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Standing Hand-to-Knee Pose (Dandayamana Janushirasana)

Benefits: Builds balance, strengthens legs, stretches hamstrings.

Steps:

1. Stand on one leg, bending the opposite knee.
2. Hold the bent knee or extend the leg forward.
3. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then switch legs.

FAQs

What are the 5 standing asanas?

The five basic standing yoga asanas include Mountain Pose, Tree Pose, Triangle Pose, Warrior I, and Chair Pose. These poses are foundational, focusing on strength, balance, and stability.

What is the standing pose in yoga?

In yoga, a standing pose generally refers to any posture done in an upright position, such as Mountain Pose (Tadasana). This pose serves as the base for many sequences and helps align the body and engage the core.

What is the hardest asana in yoga?

While difficulty varies per individual, Dancer Pose and Warrior III are often considered challenging due to the need for balance, flexibility, and strength.

Who should not do standing asanas?

Individuals with certain conditions such as severe knee pain, ankle injuries, or dizziness should avoid standing poses. It’s best to consult a healthcare professional before beginning any new exercise routine.

What are the benefits of standing yoga?

Standing yoga poses build balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance. They engage large muscle groups, improve posture, and foster mental focus, making them ideal for both beginners and advanced practitioners.

Final thoughts

Incorporating these standing yoga asanas into your practice can dramatically improve balance, core strength, and mental focus. These poses offer diverse benefits, from flexibility to stress relief, and can be easily adapted to suit different levels of experience. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned practitioner, standing yoga poses provide a solid foundation to support a fulfilling yoga journey.

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